Top Democrats are reportedly planning the ouster of Sen. John Fetterman in the next primary election over his approach to President Donald Trump and Republicans in general.
Axios noted that potential primary challengers are already criticizing Fetterman, even if the election is three years away. They include Reps. Brendan Boyle and Chris Deluzio, as well as former Rep. Conor Lamb, insiders told the outlet.
They have all bashed Fetterman, with Boyle calling him “Trump’s favorite democrat” and saying he visited Mar-a-Lago to “kiss the ring.”
Fetterman largely dismissed the allegations made in the piece, telling Axios “enjoy your clickbait!” “Please do not contact,” he added when asked a follow-up question.
He went on to share a report showing he has voted with Trump 6% of the time, compared to Boyle’s 14%. “ACTUAL NUMBERS,” he said. “Less clicks.”
Some Fetterman aides interviewed by Axios said they don’t believe he will run for re-election in 2028 because he dislikes Washington D.C. politics and he is politically isolated. Moreover, a September Quinnipiac poll showed that most Democrats in Pennsylvania disapprove of his job, but he has a positive approval rating overall with all voters. And people who know him said he has long held presidential ambitions.
The report follows another from August that claimed some progressives regret their support of Fetterman. And in June, a series of reports increased scrutiny over his state of mind. One of them was an outburst during a meeting with union officials and another a feature piece in New York Magazine where former staffers and advisers detailed their concerns about the senator.
Fetterman dismissed the piece as a “one-source hit piece and some anonymous sources,” adding that there are no people concerned about his mental health. Regarding the outburst at the union meeting, the senator said in a statement that they “had a spirited conversation about our collective frustration with the Trump administration’s cuts to our education system.”
Fetterman has also rejected criticism of his absenteeism, saying it is actually a result of him deciding to spend more time at home and less time performing routine tasks. “My doctor warned years ago: After it’s public that you are getting help for depression, people will weaponize that,” the senator said, according to the NYT. “Simple things are turned. That’s exactly what happened.”
Originally published on Latin Times
