If Fetterman Were Going to Change Parties, He Might Act Like He’s Acting Now
This is your TPM evening briefing.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is re-arousing suspicion that he may intend to switch parties, something he’s tepidly denied he’ll do in the past.
He said at a summit Wednesday that, “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,” adding that he has “no plans” to leave the Democratic Party.
Fetterman cited a House floor vote Wednesday on Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R-KY) amendment to eliminate $3.3 billion in currently planned military aid to Israel and block any funding directed to Israel from being included in the appropriations bill for national security and the State Department. It failed by a large margin, but over 100 Democrats — including establishment figures like Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) — voted for the measure, a clear statement of Democrats’ increasing alienation from Israel.
Earlier this month, Fetterman teamed up with Sen. David McCormick (R-PA) to form a joint fundraising committee — something that virtually never happens between politicians of opposing parties. It remains unclear which candidates the joint PACs would support.
McCormick told right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson this week that “a very conservative, very strong supporter of the president,” “a very big donor for the president and a donor for me” had approached McCormick and asked if he could donate to both him and Fetterman, prompting the creation of the JFC. McCormick added that the benefactor’s name will “become public soon enough.”
Harlan Crow, the Republican billionaire known for lavishing Justice Clarence Thomas with luxury trips and free tuitions, maxxed out donations to Fetterman in June, per the Intercept.
Fetterman has broken with mainstream Democratic positions of all kinds, including through his aggressive support of Israel, support for the Iran war, approval of President Trump’s ballroom and vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security amid ongoing ICE abuses. He also became the first Senate Democrat this term to submit a blue slip on a Trump judicial nominee, waiving his right to block a lifetime appointment to the federal bench.
He has typically said that he doesn’t plan to leave the party — often adding that he’d be a “lousy” Republican, and would still vote with Democrats most of the time — but has never completely closed the door to the possibility.
Approval numbers-wise, Fetterman has entered the politically perilous terrain last occupied by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), so despised by Democrats that she left the party then did not run for reelection in 2024. In a recent Quinnipiac poll, a whopping 69 percent of Democrats disapproved of the job Fetterman was doing, making it virtually impossible for him to win the primary when he’s up for reelection in 2028. Similarly to Sinema, he polls great with Republicans who are delighted by his frequent bucking of his party. That support is unlikely to translate into electoral success, though, as Republican glee at his leftward punching would not necessarily compel them to choose him over a more orthodox Republican candidate.
— Kate Riga
Republicans Would Like Trump to Talk About More Pressing Matters in National Address
Politico has a new piece out today platforming anonymous Republican operatives and ex-administration officials who are concerned that Trump is misusing the moment with his national address this evening that will reportedly be focused on his various election fraud conspiracy theories. The sources claim that even his own officials in the White House want him to be talking about the economy ahead of the midterms, not giving a stage to his grievances. A few key quotes, per Politico:
“The people I talk to are scared shitless,” said a former Trump administration official, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “It’s not scared shitless about the text of what he’s going to say, it’s, what does he add to the text?”
And:
“From the White House, they would prefer to be talking about economic conditions improving,” the former official said. “And any second of the day that’s not spent talking about that right now I’m sure frustrates many in the administration.”
— Nicole LaFond
Tillis Won’t Let House Republicans Quietly Appease Trump on SAVE Act
Republicans in the House are considering trying to stuff some provisions of the SAVE America Act into another reconciliation package in order to show Trump that they’re trying to pass his voter suppression bill, or at least elements of it, ahead of the midterms. As TPM has reported, the passage of the SAVE America Act has become Trump’s singular focus, even though the bill in its current form does not have the votes needed in the Senate, and his vote-by-mail restrictions don’t have the support needed in the House.
Retiring-Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) very loudly called out House Republicans’ scheme, shouting during a speech from the Senate floor on Thursday about how he will block any efforts to pass this legislation in the Senate.
“If I see a reconciliation bill come from the House with another failed attempt to confuse this election, I will use every device I have available to slow down the wheels of government until people cop a clue and do the math,” Tillis said.
“I have been trying to explain for nearly a year that the SAVE Act, whether it’s the SAVE Act, the SAVE America Act, the new SAVE legislation that’s being proposed in the House, SAVE goes to Hollywood, SAVE goes to Hawaii, whatever the sequels are, all of them are fundamentally flawed and impossible to implement by this election,” he continued.
Tillis has been outspoken about how it is the wrong time to try to pass the SAVE Act given how difficult it is to implement voter ID laws with so little time left before the midterms — not because he’s opposed to the sweeping disenfranchisement that would come should some provisions of the bill become law.
— Nicole LaFond
More From TPM Today
Hunter Walker has a new piece out this afternoon, taking a look at the campaign of smoke jumper Sam Forstag who is running for Rep. Ryan Zinke’s (R-MT) seat on a progressive populist platform, which some see as a test of the recent blue wave: Can the New Progressive Wave That’s Reshaping the Democratic Party Win in a Rural Red State?
Layla A. Jones tries to get Georgia Republicans to respond to new revelations that their Senate nominee, Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), has a white nationalist influencer for a son-in-law: Georgia GOP Silent Amid Revelations About Senate Nominee’s White Nationalist Son-in-Law
In this week’s edition of The Franchise, Khaya Himmelman previews what’s ahead in Trump’s speech tonight. Hint: we’re expecting a rehashing of all his favorite conspiracy theories: Get Ready for a Conspiracy Theory-Laced Speech From Trump Tonight
Morning Memo author David Kurtz reflects on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearing: What Happened Outside the Blanche Hearing Was More Important Than What Happened Inside
Yesterday’s Top Story
Was, of course, our explosive new scoop from Josh Kovensky: Exclusive: Trump DOJ’s Top ‘Antifa’ Prosecutor Marched With Crowd on Jan. 6
What I’m Reading
Reflecting Pool peeling likely caused by application flaws, experts say
Thom Tillis tells Todd Blanche to meet with Epstein victims — or don’t expect his support
U.S. grocery slowdown deepens as shoppers buy fewer items, raising pressure on food companies
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Small correction - Fetterman is up for reelection in 2028.