Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., defended his Democratic identity at the Texas Tribune's annual festival on Saturday but declined to say how he'd cast a decisive 51st vote if Democrats retake the Senate majority in November. At the closing keynote of the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Fetterman told CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett that Democratic control of the Senate was entirely possible but declined to commit on how he would use his leverage if it did. "Let's revisit after the midterms, and let's see what happens," he said. The exchange followed weeks of speculation about whether the first-term Democrat might caucus with Republicans. Fetterman was again the lone Democrat to vote against a Senate war powers resolution on the U.S. war in Iran on Thursday and has repeatedly broken with his caucus over arms sales to Israel. Anger among Democratic colleagues escalated earlier this month when Fetterman appeared in a prerecorded video at the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas, introducing his home-state colleague, GOP Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., as a "great friend" and pledging to work with President Donald Trump on the state's steel industry. Days later, Fetterman snapped at reporters on Capitol Hill who pressed him about defection. "I'm not going to be a Republican," the senator said, urging them to wait until the midterms. He repeated the pledge Saturday: "I've said I have no path as a Republican." Later that evening, an audience member asked why he had not registered as an independent. "Because I'm a lifelong Republican," the senator replied, prompting a quick correction from Garrett. Fetterman laughed and acknowledged the slip would spread, saying he was "a lifelong Democrat though." Jim Thomas ✉Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years. © 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved. |
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