Midway through his first term as Pennsylvania’s sole Democratic member of the Senate, Sen. John Fetterman could be headed for a rough primary for breaking with his own party on key issues and frequently defending Donald Trump.
According to a report from Axios, which Fetterman mocked as “clickbait,” there are already rumblings that three lawmakers with strong ties to the Democratic Party could challenge him for his seat.
Holly Otterbein of Axios is reporting that, while Fetterman appears to still be popular with voters in his state, his tenure is distressing members of the local Democratic leadership who feel he is crippling their efforts to strengthen the party in the pivotal state.
The Axios report notes that Fetterman has been on the receiving end of stronger-than-usual criticism from his congressional colleagues.
“Democrats haven't flipped a GOP Senate seat since Fetterman did it in 2022. He's still popular with Pennsylvania voters, even as Democrats turn on him over his softened approach to President Trump,” Otterbein wrote before singling out Democrat Reps. Brendan Boyle, Chris Deluzio and former Rep. Conor Lamb as potential challengers for the seat.
The report points out that Boyle has become one of Fetterman’s most vocal critics, “...on TV and social media, calling him ’Trump's favorite Democrat and accusing him of visiting the president at Mar-a-Lago to ‘kiss the ring.’”
According to Axios, “Boyle acknowledged he has a choice to make: ‘Right now I'm focused on doing all I can to ensure Democrats win back the House in 2026. … After that, I will make a decision about 2028.’ He's started to build his statewide profile, and activists and labor leaders have encouraged him to challenge Fetterman, said a person familiar with the talks.”
Philadelphia-based Democratic strategist J.J. Balaban claims there may be a solid chance to supplant the embattled Fetterman as the Democratic nominee, telling Axios: “There's a possibility of an opening in 2028, certainly, given the trajectory he is on with Democrats.
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