Trump Urges Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman to Join GOP Ahead of Midterms

He added that, “if you look at the polls, he does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.” The comments came weeks before the upcoming midterm elections, which could determine Senate control.

Newsweek

Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat first elected to the Senate in 2022, has broken with his party on immigration and the war in Iran. Earlier this year he appeared in a video for the Republican midterm convention praising Sen. Dave McCormick and criticizing political extremism. Individual party switches have previously reshaped Senate majorities, most notably Jim Jeffords in 2001 and Arlen Specter in 2009.

Newsweek

• An August poll by the Inquirer, the New York Times, and Siena University found 73 % of registered Pennsylvania Republicans view Fetterman favorably, compared with 63 % for Sen. Dave McCormick.

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• The same poll showed 22 % of Democratic voters held a favorable view of Fetterman, down from 74 % in 2024, while 63 % viewed him unfavorably.

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• A February 2026 Quinnipiac poll reported 73 % Republican approval of Fetterman’s job performance versus 22 % among Democrats.

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• Voting records indicate Fetterman has aligned with Senate Democrats about 90 % of the time since joining in 2023, falling to just under 81 % during the current session.

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• Donald Trump framed the invitation as a strategic suggestion, arguing that a party switch could improve Fetterman’s electoral prospects.

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• John Fetterman has repeatedly rejected the notion of becoming a Republican.

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• A spokesperson for Fetterman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s remarks.

Newsweek

Both the August poll and the February Quinnipiac poll highlight a stark partisan divide in Fetterman’s favorability, though the surveys differ slightly in percentages for independents and overall approval. No additional polling data or voter-behavior studies have been released to clarify how a potential party switch might affect the upcoming Senate races.

Newsweek

• “I'd love to see him as a Republican,” — Donald Trump, president

Trump urges Sen. John Fetterman to switch parties and become a Republican

• “If you look at the polls, he does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.” — Donald Trump, president

Newsweek

If Fetterman were to join the Republican Party, the GOP could gain a high-profile Senate seat in a state where he already enjoys strong Republican favorability. Retaining him as a Democrat would preserve the incumbency advantage that Democrats need to capture additional Senate seats for a majority.

Newsweek

The midterm elections, scheduled for next month, will determine whether the Senate remains under Republican control or flips to a Democratic majority. Both parties are monitoring Fetterman’s positioning closely, as his decision—if any—could influence campaign strategies and voter outreach in Pennsylvania.

Newsweek