# John Fetterman really needs to resign **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 4, 2025, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875 "2025-05-04T22:13:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/445 "2026-09-11T04:27:32Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Fetterman has been supporting Trump over and over again for a long time. No, we have proved different. He votes with party leadership about 90% of the time. How often does Johnson vote with the Dems? How about Vance? John Thune? Why are we spending 440 posts attacking a DEMOCRAT instead of those three? Yes, Fetterman is hardly my favorite senator- but he is better than each and every one of the 53 Republican senators. Eric Schmitt is out and out evil. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric\_Schmitt#Political\_positions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Schmitt#Political_positions) But there is no thread about him. IIRC Eric Schmitt votes 100% of the time with the MAGAs. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/446 "2026-09-11T04:51:10Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The ones who give him a job approval rating of [77](https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3962)% to 12%? > > The ones who give him job approval [10 points higher](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maverick-democrat-surges-republicans-party-turns-stoking-talk-gop-switch) than the other, Republican, Senator of PA? Meh. I suspect the GOP/MAGA voters in those polls like Fetterman because he pisses off the Libs and for no other reason. He would get clobbered in a GOP/MAGA primary. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/447 "2026-09-11T04:53:39Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I suspect the GOP/MAGA voters in those polls like Fetterman because he pisses off the Libs and for no other reason. Hmmm, you may have an idea here. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2026, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/448 "2026-09-11T08:34:36Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, we have proved different. He votes with party leadership about 90% of the time. That’s worth nothing when he actively campaigns for Republicans, as he did with that video. Let me repeat - Fetterman made a choice to lend his aid to a Republican campaign event. It wasn’t about supporting a policy, or a bipartisan initiative, it was a purely political campaign event, that Fetterman chose to make a video for. That’s unforgivable. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2026, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/449 "2026-09-12T01:51:36Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > He would get clobbered in a GOP/MAGA primary. Why? MAGA loves converts. Trump used to be a Democrat. RFK Jr. used to be a Democrat. Elon Musk says he used to vote for Democrats. Tulsi used to be a Democrat and would still be in good graces with MAGA if she had been loyal. Vance used to hate Trump and is now far ahead in 2028 GOP primary polling. The new never-trump book, [How to Eat an Elephant One Voter at a Time](https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/how-to-eat-an-elephant-9781250464170/), doesn’t, unless I missed it, mention Fetterman, but I just read this, which I find true and relevant: > [@](#): > > The same Republican voters who loathe and distrust Mitch McConnell and Mike Pence as disloyal traitors trust these people who’ve been Republicans for five minutes. If his health holds out, I predict Fetterman will change parties and have no great difficulty winning a GOP Senate primary. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2026, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/450 "2026-09-12T03:27:17Z")
Which is quite possibly bad for Senate control. But my suspicion remains he will still mostly vote with the Democrats a majority of the time and soon be as disliked by Republicans as he now is by Republicans. But I don’t think he flips much before elections in two years. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2026, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/451 "2026-09-12T03:38:56Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > If his health holds out, I predict Fetterman will change parties and have no great difficulty winning a GOP Senate primary. My pet theory, which I just now pulled out of my rectum, is that Fetterman is a DSA mole. Yep, a double agent playing the long game - he’s secretly the most progressive Democrat in the United States! Soon as the Republicans elect him he’s going to go “psyche!” and start legislating for a fully socialist agenda. Such thoughts cheer me at night as I wait for the GOP to amass enough souls to open that portal to hell they’ve been working on. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/452 "2026-09-12T19:02:56Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Which is quite possibly bad for Senate control. But my suspicion remains he will still mostly vote with the Democrats a majority of the time and soon be as disliked by Republicans as he now is by Republicans. But I don’t think he flips much before elections in two years. I agree- assuming he does not have to leave for reasons of health. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/453 "2026-09-13T02:28:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > assuming he does not have to leave for reasons of health. What would “have to” mean in this context? Is there really any functional definition any more? ---
**Author:** ![Xocomil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xocomil/32/14927_2.png) [@Xocomil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xocomil)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/454 "2026-09-13T03:03:04Z")
RFK Jr. was never a Democratic elected official and has never won an election as a Republican. Elon Musk isn’t even a politician nor has ever won an election as a Republican. Tulsi Gabbard has never won an election as a Republican. Vance was never a Democrat. Other than that, sounds legit. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/455 "2026-09-13T03:11:30Z")
> [@Xocomil](#): > > RFK Jr. was never a Democratic elected official and has never won an election as a Republican. > > Elon Musk isn’t even a politician nor has ever won an election as a Republican. > > Tulsi Gabbard has never won an election as a Republican. > > Vance was never a Democrat. And Trump may have voted for Democrats, and given money to Democratic candidates in certain circumstances, but I strongly suspect that it was, as everything is for him, purely transactional. I believe that he was supporting certain Democratic politicians fully expecting _quid pro quo_, and because he lived in New York (City and State), both of which are pretty strongly Democratic. There’s nothing about Trump’s priorities, morals (ha!) or political leanings, past or present, which in any way align with that of the Democratic Party. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/456 "2026-09-13T19:21:01Z")
**Moderating:** Again, this is the _Fetterman_ thread, the discussion on how **other** populist individuals in or out of government may have changed allegiances (successfully or not) is a tangent taking us away from the main topic. It’s fine as it’s own topic though if someone wants to Spin off a thread of it’s own: > **How to Reply as a linked Topic** > > Click Reply, in the upper left corner of the reply window is the reply type button, _looks like a curving arrow point to the right_. > > Choose **Reply as linked topic** and it starts a new thread. As an example, you can choose GD, IMHO or The Pit for it. > > That is actually the best method. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/457 "2026-09-13T20:22:55Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And Trump may have voted for Democrats, and given money to Democratic candidates in certain circumstances, but I strongly suspect that it was, as everything is for him, purely transactiona My point about Fetterman was lost. The point is that Republicans do not care about what you used to be. And the Fetterman-relevant evidence is this polling from last month: [Fetterman viewed more favorably than GOP senator by Pennsylvania Republicans](https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/6048811-fetterman-mccormick-pennsylvania-republican-voters/) > [@](#): > > A New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and Siena University poll of registered voters in Pennsylvania found that [73 percent of Republicans](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/us/politics/john-fetterman-poll-republicans-democrats-pennsylvania.html) in the state have a favorable opinion of Fetterman while only 63 percent of Republicans view McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO, favorably. McCormick was always a Republican. That’s no plus with the MAGA crowd. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/458 "2026-09-13T20:52:06Z")
Expanding on my last post, because of Fetterman’s appearance at the GOP mini-convention, he would today poll even better with Pennsylvania Republicans. Sen. Dave McCormick understands this and thus tries to gain credence with the PA GOP base by hanging out with Fetterman. Democrats may find this hard to understand because they care more about issues than who seems to be a fellow enemy of the Democratic Party. The GOP is different. Fetterman’s history of voting with the Democrats does not much matter to MAGA. So, if his health holds up, Fetterman has a great future in the Republican Party, should he grab it. Compare and contrast with how Liz Cheney had and has no chance to become a Democratic Party star despite publicly meeting with, and endorsing, Kamala Harris, and may have actually hurt Harris. I do fear being slapped down with the last sentence but feel Fetterman’s place in the GOP cannot be understood without a little cross-party comparison. He may need to resign in some grand moral sense, but if he just cares about being a senator for another term, there is no need to resign, only to switch parties. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/459 "2026-09-13T21:00:19Z")
This is not the first time, by far, that party switching like this has happened. Historically, since after the Civil Rights realignment, party switching is very rarely successful, and when it is, it’s usually because the individual politician is exceptionally talented. Fetterman is not remotely talented. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/460 "2026-09-13T22:22:56Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Historically, since after the Civil Rights realignment, party switching is very rarely successful, and when it is, it’s usually because the individual politician is exceptionally talented. Fetterman is not remotely talented. I do not know any objective measure of talent except the polls. Last all voter poll I can find has Fetterman at 48 percent approval while the other PA senator, McCormick, is only at 40 percent approval. [July Approval](https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3962) I think party switching is most successful from Democratic to Republican. Jim Justice and Mike Braun are current governors who made that switch. Rep. Jeff Van Drew in New Jersey is still serving after Dem to Rep. So recent history I can see favors Fetterman if he does it. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/461 "2026-09-13T22:27:29Z")
Fetterman can’t make a coherent speech. He can’t make a coherent video without very obvious and very frequent cutting. He can’t be coherent in an interview. He’s shedding staff like a collie sheds fur. I don’t think you’re taking into account how primaries go. Primaries are absolutely brutal when challengers sense a weakness. Fetterman will have a million lines of attack against him no matter which party he runs in, if he runs again (which I kind of doubt). This is the high point of Fetterman’s popularity with Republicans, since not a single Republican is attacking him, and plenty of Democrats are. If he switches parties, that changes pretty fast. Come the primary, and a dozen PA GOP officials will jump into the primary against him, all with big and easy lines of attack, and probably all of them with considerably more energy and communication talent than Fetterman (who appears to have near-zero on both counts right now). I guess we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/462 "2026-09-13T22:29:19Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Fetterman can’t make a coherent speech. He can’t make a coherent video without very obvious and very frequent cutting. He can’t be coherent in an interview. He’s shedding staff like a collie sheds fur. So you’re saying he’ll fit right in as a Republican? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/463 "2026-09-14T19:01:19Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Fetterman can’t make a coherent speech. He can’t make a coherent video without very obvious and very frequent cutting. He can’t be coherent in an interview. wikipedia > On May 13, 2022, Fetterman had an [ischemic stroke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke "Stroke") and was hospitalized. Are we making fun of disabilities now? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2026, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/464 "2026-09-14T19:05:28Z")
Who’s making fun? I’m saying he’s a shithead. That’s not making fun, that’s insulting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875.md?page=24)