Senate Republicans are defending their Democratic colleague, John Fetterman, after a series of reports called into question his mental fitness to remain in office.
Senators Tom Cotton, Chuck Grassley, and fellow Pennsylvanian Dave McCormick all defended Fetterman in a series of posts on X Thursday, rallying behind the Democrat who has alienated his staff and his constituents by hawkishly supporting Israel in its massacre of Gazans and taking a softer line with President Trump.
Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres, who has also alienated much of the left with his stance on Israel, accused Fetterman’s critics of attacking him for his “unapologetic pro-Israel politics.”
Reports from New York magazine and The Philadelphia Inquirer over the past week exposed how Fetterman frequently loses his temper and patience and has become disengaged from his duties as a senator, missing meetings and votes. Fetterman also reportedly avoids colleagues and spends many hours alone in his Washington, D.C., office. New York reported that Fetterman even misses regular medical check-ups, drives erratically, and has diminished spatial awareness.
Despite these worrying reports, Republicans may be trying to rally around Fetterman because they smell blood in the water. Politico reports that a recent internal poll shows Fetterman losing support from Democratic voters in his own home area of Pittsburgh. While Fetterman has defended Trump in the past few months, he still is a relatively reliable Democratic vote in the Senate, and the GOP could see an opportunity to replace him in 2028 with one of their own.
Republicans could also be trying to convince Fetterman not to resign from the Senate. The New York profile mentioned tension between Fetterman and his wife, Gisele, a formerly undocumented immigrant from Brazil, over his turn toward Trump and his vehement support for Israel—and it’s conceivable that Fetterman chooses to resign, citing health or family reasons.
A replacement senator appointed by Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro would result in a more solid Democratic vote and hurt Republican chances to retake the Pennsylvania Senate seat in 2028. Whatever the reason for the sudden show of support, Republicans probably have an ulterior motive.
The post Republicans Back John Fetterman After Flood of Damning Reports appeared first on New Republic.
