Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) could soon face a rematch with an old rival as his own party grows increasingly fed up with him.
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) told Politico in an interview Tuesday that she is “considering” a 2028 Senate run, including a possible primary challenge to Fetterman.
“I’m going to be considering it,” Dean told the outlet.
The congresswoman pointed to “really, two things, which is his family and his health,” adding that she is “very disappointed in his activity as a senator and in his votes.”
Dean and Fetterman both ran for lieutenant governor in 2018, a race Fetterman ultimately won, and Dean went on to win a House seat that same year. She told Politico she got to know and like both Fetterman and his wife during that campaign.
“When I say consider, nothing is lighthearted,” she said of her decision-making. Dean did not give a timeline for a final call, according to Politico, saying she first needs to talk it through with her family.
A Senate bid would put Dean in a growing field of Democrats hoping to capitalize on Fetterman’s slide in popularity with the party’s base since he won his seat in 2022. The senator has been criticized for long stretches away from legislative work and for backing the Iran war, a position at odds with most of his party.
Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) has said he is giving a run “serious thought,” Politico reported. And on Monday, Philadelphia writer and businessman Ahmed Moor became the first Democrat to formally enter the race, The Hill reported. Moor, a Palestinian American and Democratic Socialists of America member, is campaigning on ending the Iran war and expanding access to health care, child care and affordable housing.
Fetterman also drew backlash in September after appearing by video at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, where he introduced Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) as a “great friend.”
Still, he has insisted he won’t switch parties. “I’ve said I have no path as a Republican. That’s a fact,” Fetterman said at the Texas Tribune Festival that month.
He has not said publicly whether he will seek reelection.
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