Republican Senator Dave McCormick Commends Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman Amid Party’s Ideological Shift

Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) told host John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AM that he “really” respects Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) for daring to “call out the craziness” inside the Democratic Party. McCormick said Fetterman’s willingness to criticize the party’s move toward more radical, progressive candidates has made him popular with many Pennsylvanians, even as it has alienated some Democratic colleagues. McCormick cited the recent primary victory of Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed over moderate Rep.

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The war in Gaza and subsequent humanitarian crisis have intensified intra-party disputes. Human-rights groups have accused Israel of war crimes and genocide, prompting a split between progressive members who question U.S. support for Israel and more centrist Democrats who maintain a pro-Israel stance. Fetterman has faced criticism from progressive figures for his strong support of Israel, while also defending his position as a matter of “moral clarity.”

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Speaking at the Hill Nation Summit in Washington last month, Fetterman said he has “no plans” to leave the Democratic Party but warned that a formal shift to an “anti-Israel” platform would cross a personal red line.

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• “He votes as a Democrat 93 or 95 percent of the time, so it’s not like he’s not a Democrat in most of his policy positions,” — Sen. Dave McCormick

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• “And ironically … the thing that’s scary is that you have a lot of mainstream Democrats that are embracing these radical lefty policies. That’s not the case in Pennsylvania, particularly with John Fetterman.” — Sen. Dave McCormick

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