Senator John Fetterman Vows Not to Campaign Against Republican Colleague Dave McCormick
Key Takeaways
- •Senator Fetterman has publicly committed to not campaigning against Republican Senator Dave McCormick, referring to him as a friend and a great guy.
- •Pennsylvania is one of only three states with split Senate representation, where both parties heavily invest in competitive Senate races.
- •Fetterman and McCormick established a joint fundraising committee called Common Ground PA in July, registered with the FEC and supporting both senators through participating PACs.
- •Fetterman's increasing divergence from the Democratic Party, including accepting Republican donor support and criticizing fellow Democrats, has fueled speculation about a potential party switch.
- •The bipartisan partnership is notable given the Senate's narrow 53-47 Republican majority, where cross-party cooperation can be decisive on legislation requiring sixty votes.
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, widely regarded as President Donald Trump's favored Democrat, is deepening his divergence from the Democratic Party. Having already attracted donations from Republican contributors and publicly criticized fellow Democrats, Fetterman has now pledged not to campaign against Pennsylvania's other senator, Republican Dave McCormick.
The commitment is unusual in an era of intensifying partisanship, particularly in Pennsylvania, a battleground state where both parties invest heavily in Senate races. Fetterman won his seat in 2022 by defeating Republican Mehmet Oz, while McCormick unseated three-term Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr. in 2024.
In an interview with The Washington Examiner that initially drew little widespread attention, Fetterman stated, "Well, I would absolutely never move against my friend," referring to McCormick as a "great guy." The remarks were highlighted by The Hill's Mira Bhakta on Wednesday.
Bhakta noted that Pennsylvania is one of only three states with split Senate representation. The two senators have made joint media appearances, co-sponsored legislation, and in July established a joint fundraising committee. The new political action committee, named Common Ground PA, accepts contributions from donors seeking to support both senators in the politically competitive state.
The collaborative posture stands out given the Senate's narrow 53-47 Republican majority, where bipartisan partnerships can matter on legislation requiring sixty votes to advance.
A spokesperson told the local outlet The Center Square, "This group of donors value the collaboration exhibited by Senators McCormick and Fetterman for Pennsylvania and want to support both of them."
Speculation about a potential party switch intensified in July when The Center Square first reported on the PAC supporting both Fetterman and McCormick. The Center Square's John Cole reported at the time: "First spotted by Politico on Wednesday, Common Ground PA was announced as a new joint fundraising committee. Common Ground PA filed with the Federal Election Commission, known as the FEC, on Monday. They list four joint fundraising participants: Every Vote PAC, Pennsylvania Honor, Fetterman for PA, and Friends of Dave McCormick."
Cole added, "Fetterman is listed as the leadership PAC sponsor for Every Vote PAC, while McCormick is named as the leadership PAC sponsor for Pennsylvania Honor."
