Democratic Sen. John Fetterman pledges not to campaign against Republican Sen. Dave McCormick: ‘I would absolutely never move against my friend’
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has pledged not to campaign against Republican Sen. Dave McCormick if his fellow Pennsylvanian seeks reelection in 2030, offering an unusually strong commitment from a lawmaker in the opposing party. Fetterman stopped short of saying he would endorse McCormick but repeatedly described him as a friend and a “great guy.”
John Fetterman rules out campaigning against Dave McCormick
Asked by the Washington Examiner whether he would support or oppose McCormick in a potential 2030 campaign, Fetterman was unequivocal. “Well, I would absolutely never move against my friend,” Fetterman said. He declined to say whether he would endorse McCormick, instead calling him a “great guy.”
“I would never, ever move against my friend,” Fetterman repeated.
The two senators have grown close since McCormick defeated Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in 2024. During that campaign, Fetterman raised money for Casey and attacked McCormick as a carpetbagger from Connecticut, despite McCormick being a Pennsylvania native who had spent years managing a hedge fund there. Their relationship has changed substantially since then.
‘Team Pennsylvania’
The senators now frequently co-sponsor legislation and appear together to promote bipartisanship, with Fetterman describing McCormick as a “mentor” — the same term he once used for Casey. Last month, they formed a joint fundraising committee called Common Ground PA, prompting renewed unfounded speculation that Fetterman could eventually leave the Democratic Party.
“I’m not about changing my party,” Fetterman said. “It’s just, we are Team Pennsylvania, and we work together. And it happens to be there are donors that actually like that or support that, and it doesn’t mean that you’re my enemy — or it doesn’t mean that your views are trying to destroy our democracy.”
Fetterman has not decided whether to seek reelection when his own Senate term expires in 2028.
John Fetterman’s Democratic identity
Fetterman entered statewide politics as a progressive, winning election as Pennsylvania lieutenant governor before joining the Senate. However, he has since rejected the progressive label and increasingly clashed with Democrats over Israel, foreign policy and the influence of socialism within the party. He recently criticized Democratic Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Graham Platner in Maine. His stance on Israel has also prompted speculation about his relationship with the Democratic Party after he said a significant leftward shift by Democrats on the issue could create a “much different situation.”
Yet Democratic Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont defended Fetterman’s place in the Democratic caucus. “He votes with us 95% of the time, and his views are in the minority on Israel and to some extent Trump appointees, but it’s a big caucus, and he’s with us,” Welch said. “There’s plenty of room for John Fetterman.”
John Fetterman’s friendships extend beyond party lines
Fetterman has maintained close relationships with other Republicans including Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama and the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. He recalled bonding with Graham over their “devotion for Israel and of course Ukraine” and said he was grieving his death. Fetterman attended a memorial dinner for Graham and traveled with the McCormicks during a public ceremony honoring him. “He’s just such a funny guy that I thoroughly enjoyed,” Fetterman said of Graham. “I mean, he checks every box: statesman, serious guy, but also super — a fun dude to hang out with.”
Despite Republican interest in whether Fetterman might switch parties, he dismissed the idea, pointing to President Donald Trump’s treatment of Republicans who have challenged him. “Trump just liquidated perfectly great, committed Republicans. … He just wasted them, ended their careers,” Fetterman said, possibly referring to primary challenges against Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. “And now he’s attacking [Senate Majority Leader John] Thune,” Fetterman added. “What’s going to happen to, like, a Democrat? It’s a pretty strange pitch.”