John Fetterman

Pennsylvania senator John Fetterman has long downplayed the Beltway chatter that he’s considering leaving the Democratic Party, even as he cultivates increasingly cozy relationships with Republicans and frequently appears in right-leaning media. But during an appearance at the Hill Nation Summit in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Fetterman laid out the specific circumstances that would make him reconsider his party affiliation.

“If our party ever becomes — and just makes it official — the anti-Israel party, that’s when I would leave because that’s been a moral clarity for me,” Fetterman said, per The Hill, which co-hosted the event with NewsNation.

It’s unsurprising that Israel would be a potential red line for Fetterman. The senator has been a staunch advocate of the country dating back to his 2022 campaign and has been steadfast in his support of Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza, while most of his fellow Democrats have grown increasingly critical of America’s longtime ally.

But this is notably the first known instance that Fetterman has publicly engaged with the concept of switching parties. In May, Politico reported that Republicans were actively courting him to join their ranks or, at a minimum, go independent like Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema and West Virginia’s Joe Manchin did years prior. Days later, Fetterman published an editorial in the Washington Post in which he defended his criticisms of the party and his work with Republicans, saying he would work with whomever is necessary for the betterment of his community back home.

“Being an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians might put me at odds with the party that I have stayed committed to and have no plans to leave — but I will continue to put the commonwealth and the country first,” he wrote. “Plus, I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.”

But Fetterman has embraced the role of party critic, breaking with Democrats publicly on issues of border security and foreign policy while knocking the left flank of the party. He’s become a fixture on Fox News, where he’s criticized congressional Democrats for their position on the government shutdown and recently tweaked his colleague and past campaign endorser Bernie Sanders for his support for Graham Platner. Just last week, Fetterman formed a joint fundraising committee with his friend and Republican Pennsylvania senator Dave McCormick, a rarity for two candidates from opposing parties.

While it is far from a certainty that Fetterman will change parties, a recent poll of Pennsylvania voters presents a solid case for a switch. A Quinnipiac University poll released found that 52 percent of voters said they would like to see Fetterman leave the Democratic Party, while 31 percent said they would prefer to see him stay in their ranks. Sixteen percent said they had no opinion on the matter.

Though 48 percent of voters overall said they approved of Fetterman’s job as senator, the findings become more stark once broken down by party. Sixty-nine percent of Democrats said they disapprove of Fetterman to 19 percent who approve. As far as Republicans, 77 percent of voters said they approve of Fetterman, while 12 percent said they disapproved. The poll surveyed 895 registered voters in Pennsylvania from July 9 to July 13.

While Fetterman himself is not up for reelection until 2028, any shift from him would be a significant obstacle to the Democratic Party if it secures control of the Senate following the midterms. Negotiations on legislation and other matters could grow increasingly fraught if the senator sides against Democrats in the chamber.