Before the emergence of Kamala Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket and her selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was viewed as the tradition-flouting, tough-talking, and flame-throwing new star of the Democratic Party.
Fetterman, who recovered from a stroke and depression to be the most “regular” guy on Capitol Hill, got the Senate to change its dress code so he could wear basketball shorts to work while refusing to be spooked by threats from the likes of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) or Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and James Comer (R-KY), who chair congressional committees in which threat became the primary language.
But the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and, later, the rising resistance to Israel’s response in Gaza changed Fetterman’s optics. The liberal Senator’s ferocious defense of Israel — and later of President Joe Biden‘s choices supporting Israel — made him look more like an uncompromising (and uncompassionate?) hawk than like an amiable guy legislating in his picnic outfit.
Fetterman’s stances on equal opportunity, the economy and other issues remained steady, but his staunch Israel support separated him from his progressive pals in Washington. Fetterman, who continued to have plenty of common cause with the likes of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), was suddenly on a different page from some of his natural political kinfolk, and was no longer the most popular newbie on the Democratic roster.
A huge supporter of Biden — and, notably, of Biden-Harris — Fetterman has opted to skip the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, saying the plan predated Biden’s decision to step aside and claiming that he preferred spending the time with his family.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) shared the news of Fetterman’s ditching the Chicago proceedings and commented “Bravo” — an attempt to cast Fetterman’s decision as one revealing a lack of support for his party. (The Dems are talking unity as a theme; the GOP is looking for any fissures to exploit — and Cruz aligns with Fetterman on Israel, if not much else.)
Bravo! https://t.co/ZFxFkZphSA
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 19, 2024
But despite his support for Biden’s re-election, Fetterman almost immediately came out in support of Harris when Biden dropped out. Pennsylvania is a key state for the presidential election and Fetterman remains popular there, a fact that Harris’s campaign will seek to utilize in the state over the coming months.
The Pennsylvania Senator may not be in Chicago, as Cruz celebrates, but the Democrats won’t lack for big names to fill Fetterman’s big shoes, in which he’ll be chasing his kids around the yard. See below.
New: Monday DNC speakers (via AM media briefing)
– UAW President Sean Fain
– Rep. AOC
– Hillary Clinton
– Rep. Jamie Raskin
– Rep. Jasmine Crockett
– Rep. Grace Meng
– Gov. Andy Beshear
– Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock
– Sen. Chris Coons
– Pres. Joe Biden
— Nathaniel Reed (@ReedReports) August 19, 2024