U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, has firmly rejected rumors that he is planning to switch to the Republican Party.
The social media-savvy Democrat called such speculation a “rocket sled to Palookaville.”
The rumors, which began circulating on Monday on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), were amplified by several high-profile conservative accounts.
While speaking with news outlet Semafor, Fetterman, the state’s former lieutenant governor, said he’s not becoming a Republican.
“It’s not gonna happen … I would make a pretty bad Republican,” he told news outlet Semafor.
The speculation may stem from Fetterman’s recent actions, which have included outreach to notable Republicans. Notably, he was the first sitting Democratic senator to visit former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
In recent week, Fetterman made headlines for suggesting outgoing President Joe Biden to pardon Trump in relation to the New York hush-money case.
At Monday’s inauguration, where Trump was sworn in for another term, Fetterman maintained his style by wearing shorts and a hoodie.
After the swearing in of Trump, Fetterman issued a fundraising email with the subject line “my non-negotiables.”
In the email, Fetterman outlined his priorities: supporting the union way of life, protecting LGBTQ+ rights, and ensuring the government enhances freedoms rather than restricts them.
Fetterman made headlines recently for his support for the Republican-backed Laken Riley Act and his strong backing of the Israeli government following the Hamas attacks in October 2023.
The Democratic lawmaker has been vocal about the need for members of his part to remain objective on Trump’s actions and open to confirming his nominees if they are competent, according to reporting by several news outlets.
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