Updated September 17, 2026 at 4:01 AM CDT
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — At a demonstration against the GOP-controlled Congress, a decidedly anti-Trump crowd has a Democrat's name on its mind: Sen. John Fetterman.
"I voted for him. I donated money to his campaign," said Vick Lindquist. "I feel like I've been stabbed in the back as a Pennsylvanian. It's very — I can't even put it into words. I'm so disappointed in him."
In his 2022 campaign against Mehmet Oz, Fetterman was hailed as a progressive willing to buck convention, campaigning in what would become his Senate uniform of a hoodie and basketball shorts. While in office, he's grown increasingly isolated from his party, in part over his votes for several of President Trump's cabinet nominees, his resolute defense of Israel and his frequent appearances on Fox News, where he bemoans the far-left wing of his party.
His seat comes up for re-election in 2028 — a date some of his constituents say can't come fast enough.
"He doesn't seem to want to do the job, at least based on everything that his ex-aides are telling us," said Rod Dougherty of the Lehigh Valley. "He should pack up his bags and go."
Dougherty was nodding to a recent Wall Street Journal article that reported Fetterman has skipped hearings, missed meetings with constituents and shown a general disinterest in the day-to-day responsibilities of being a senator.
NPR has not independently verified the reporting and his office did not respond to a request for comment. In an interview with CNN, Fetterman dismissed the Journal's reporting as "lies, half-truths, innuendos, smears and anonymous."
Long-simmering frustrations
Discontent among his base has been brewing for some time.
"Initially, I was very excited about Fetterman," said Ren, a Democrat in southeastern Pennsylvania who voted for him. She spoke on condition that NPR only use her first name, citing concerns about sharing her political beliefs publicly in what she sees as an increasingly partisan and dangerous climate.
"You really felt like he was fighting for you. And he was a non-conformist — obviously with his wardrobe, but also just very outspoken in a progressive way."
She said her frustration came to a head when Fetterman voted alongside Republicans last year to end the government shutdown. At the time, Democrats were holding out their votes in a bid to renew expiring health care subsidies.
"I was really disappointed with his decision. I feel like he's betraying Democratic Pennsylvanians and independents who support him," she said. "I regularly write emails to his office and the last email I sent says, 'please step aside and let someone else have your job who will do the job as they're elected to do.' And he's not doing the job that he was elected to do."
Sergio Cea is the political director for Reclaim Philadelphia, a progressive group inspired by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He said he hears frequently from voters about their frustration with Fetterman.
"It's something that makes my work very hard because as an organization that tries to endorse candidates with populist messages, more and more what I'm hearing from people at the doors is — how can I trust this person you're supporting? I don't want to get another Fetterman," Cea said.
Surprise spot at GOP convention
Fetterman has developed a friendship with Sen. Dave McCormick, his GOP Pennsylvania counterpart. The pair recently formed a joint fundraising committee — a rare form of bipartisanship that raised eyebrows. Fetterman even filmed a video introduction for McCormick at the recent GOP midterm convention in Dallas.
"I'm a commonsense Democrat. I'm always going to stand with America. I'm always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life," Fetterman said in the video.
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., was at the convention and said he was surprised by Fetterman's appearance.
"But at the same time, Sen. Fetterman and Sen. McCormick have a great working relationship that is very well known. I would think that's what you want as a state when you have elected officials from two different parties — that they would work together well," he said. "What I'm most surprised by is how angry Democrats are with the fact that one of their members wants to work in a bipartisan fashion with somebody else. To me, that is exactly what we should be doing."
The video sparked outrage among Democrats.
"It's a big strategy for this election for Republicans — they say 'common sense versus communism' or 'common sense versus crazy,'" said Christopher Beem, managing director of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State. "[Fetterman] said words that directly fit with the Republican strategy for '26. That's bad for Democrats."
'I'm not going to be a Republican!'
A common refrain among many frustrated Democratic constituents is that if Fetterman is going to have a cozier relationship than they'd like with GOP lawmakers, he should make it official and switch parties.
In May, Fetterman addressed this directly in a Washington Post op-ed, saying he'd be a "terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats." He has since said he would switch if the Democratic Party became the "anti-Israel party."
But his declarations haven't stopped him from getting peppered with the same question. On Tuesday, he exasperatedly told a reporter on Capitol Hill, "I'm not going to be a Republican!"
Pennsylvania state representative and House majority whip Mike Schlossberg said people suggesting Fetterman switch parties are overlooking the political reality.
"His votes are pretty much in line with our party, maybe a little bit more conservative and a little bit more pro-Trump — but Pennsylvania is a swing state and I don't actually have a problem with his votes," Schlossberg said. "I have a problem with how he's chosen to advertise himself and the disrespect that he's shown to Pennsylvania voters in doing so."
Many of Fetterman's policies are solidly in the Democratic platform, like supporting abortion rights and LGBTQ rights, expanding healthcare and raising the federal minimum wage.
"So let me get this straight. The guy who flew the LGBTQ flag, who ran around advocating for the legalization of marijuana — he's going to be welcome in the Republican Party? Anybody who thinks that has been smoking too much of what Sen. Fetterman wants to legalize," Schlossberg said.
Outrage spills into state politics
Fetterman's Democratic constituents aren't the only ones up in arms in Pennsylvania. State and local Democrats say the senator isn't part of the intense campaign effort to make the case for Democrats up and down the ballot in November.
"He has been nowhere," said State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who ran against Fetterman in the Senate primary. "Frankly, I'm not sure his presence would be welcome to begin with."
Allegheny County Councilman Dan Grzybek voted against Fetterman in that primary, but went on to knock on over a thousand doors to get him elected in the general election.
"I can't think of a single event that I've seen John at since he was elected in 2022," Grzybek said. "We can't find you anywhere, we can't get assistance from you — but yet you can go on Fox News, you can fly out to Israel multiple times, you can appear on Bill Maher — how is this helping Pennsylvanians?"
He added there was broad support for Fetterman after he had a stroke ahead of winning his seat, and a later hospitalization for clinical depression at the start of his term.
"Folks were extremely sympathetic to Sen. Fetterman and what he went through with his stroke and the mental health concerns he had following his stroke," Grzybek said. "It was really only after that point, whenever he was casting votes and engaging in rhetoric that was very contrary to the values in which he ran on — that's when folks started to get disenchanted with him."
Lori McFarland, chair of the Lehigh County Democratic Committee, said although Democrats "have had it with him," there's no coordinated push to get Fetterman to leave office.
"Right now, we have a more immediate election in November – but I do believe that we have some really strong people that are interested in primarying Fetterman come 2028."
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