Fetterman defends political identity, weighs potential role as 51st senator

At the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman defended continuing to identify as a Democrat even as he has cast votes that diverge from his party’s majority positions. Speaking during the festival’s closing keynote, Fetterman said Democratic control of the Senate was "entirely possible" and acknowledged the hypothetical that he could be in a position to break a 51-seat majority on party-line measures. When asked directly whether he would change his party affiliation or how he would vote if Democrats reached 51 seats, Fetterman declined to answer and suggested revisiting the question after the midterm elections. He told attendees and reporters that he had no pathway to becoming a Republican and reiterated he would remain in the Democratic Party. Fetterman’s record in the Senate includes votes alongside Republicans on major items, such as opposing Iran war powers resolutions and opposing a cutoff of aid to Israel, actions that have drawn criticism from some Democrats. Earlier this month, an appearance in a video at the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas, where he introduced Republican Sen. Dave McCormick as a "great friend," prompted further scrutiny from colleagues. During the festival exchange, Fetterman briefly misspoke when asked why he would not identify as an independent and said "I’m a lifelong Republican," immediately corrected by the moderator and followed by the senator’s clarification and joke that he was in fact a lifelong Democrat. He also told reporters on Capitol Hill earlier that he was not considering switching parties and asked critics to wait until after the midterms before speculating about any change.