USA09 September, 20263 min read
John Fetterman Praises Dave McCormick at Dallas Republican Convention, Says He Rejects Extremes
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Fetterman appeared virtually at the GOP midterm convention to praise Dave McCormick. He said he could work with Trump and identified as a commonsense Democrat.
Fetterman’s GOP cameo
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., made a surprise video appearance at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday, praising Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., and saying, "I’m a common-sense Democrat."
In the video, Fetterman said, "I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and the anti-American way of life," and he pointed to a U.S. Steel mill behind him as he described working with President Donald Trump to defend the steel industry.
NBC News reported that McCormick then thanked Fetterman for his "friendship" and his "courage," and that the crowd’s reaction was muted with only a few attendees cheering before loud applause when Fetterman concluded his message to introduce McCormick onstage.
Fetterman’s appearance came just eight weeks out from the midterm elections, according to NBC News, and the video was described as a boost to Republicans as the campaign approached November.
In a statement after the speech, Fetterman said, "I will still be the 51st vote that I ran on," if Democrats regain control of the Senate after the midterm elections, according to NBC News.
Party backlash and analysts
Fox News Digital quoted Fetterman saying, "My remarks introduced Dave McCormick as a great American and friend," while also asserting, "We are in different parties, but we are both Team PA." NBC News reported that former Fetterman aides described the appearance as beyond the pale, including a former aide who called it "pathetic" and said McCormick is "working him like a dog." Raw Story quoted political analyst Bob Cusack warning that Democrats faced a greater likelihood of a "juicy" scenario after Fetterman appeared at the GOP convention, and Cusack said, "The possibility of it is so juicy; the Democrats could get to the promised land, and Fetterman flips."
Raw Story also quoted Kirk Bado, editor of The Hotline, describing a possible Senate outcome of "51-49" and saying that if Fetterman leaves, "JD Vance becomes the tie-breaking vote in the Senate." Fox News also reported that Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in July that he and others in the Senate GOP have had "had conversations with him in the past" about the challenges he faces in his caucus.
What’s at stake next
NBC News said Fetterman’s video cameo triggered Democratic criticism because he has "toyed with leaving the party but has vowed not to," and it described the appearance as a boost to Republicans ahead of the critical midterm elections. Fox News reported that Fetterman had previously warned that if Democrats became more entrenched in anti-Israel policy positions, he would exit the party, and it quoted his statement that he would be forced to leave if his party became "the anti-Israel party." Daily Mail reported that Fetterman said, "I’m a lifelong Democrat who votes overwhelmingly with my party — and should the Senate flip in November, I will still be the 51st vote that I ran on," linking his stance to the Senate control question.
Raw Story framed the stakes around the Senate math, quoting Kirk Bado saying Democrats could end up flipping "the four seats necessary" and reaching November with "51-49," before adding that a Fetterman departure could make JD Vance the tie-breaking vote. NBC News also reported that Fetterman’s video appearance followed a Wall Street Journal report, and it quoted McCormick on X saying, "These stories are the latest example of outrageously disloyal staff and forces on the Left using anonymous leaks to cancel my friend John Fetterman."