Sen. John Fetterman’s political evolution is beginning to mirror a familiar trajectory among Democrats who veer from the party orthodoxy—a path that often ends in isolation, vilification, or outright departure. His recent moves on border security, support for Israel, and bipartisan deals with President Donald Trump’s allies have not only unsettled his party’s base but also sparked a surge of negative media coverage, fueling what some on Capitol Hill are calling a coordinated smear campaign.
Since his 2022 Senate victory, Fetterman has become a lightning rod, not just for his blunt demeanor or past health scares, but for refusing to toe the party line. His partnership with Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), including co-authoring legislation like the Laken Riley Act with Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), marks a striking shift from the progressive populist who emerged from the Bernie Sanders wing. Now, he’s meeting with Trump’s Cabinet picks and crossing lines that many Democrats won’t touch.
That pivot has come at a price. A New York Magazine story questioning his mental stability, an AP report alleging union meeting outbursts, and Politico’s suggestion that his support is crumbling within the Pennsylvania Democratic base all dropped within weeks of each other—raising eyebrows about the timing and intent.
Fetterman has dismissed the coverage as “a hit job” and vowed to serve out his full term, joining a growing list of Democrats who, after daring to diverge from the party consensus, found themselves in the crosshairs.
The playbook is becoming familiar.
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Kyrsten Sinema, after opposing the elimination of the filibuster and torpedoing the Build Back Better plan, left the party entirely in 2022, while claiming she wouldn’t change her values. The Democratic machine turned cold toward her overnight.
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Joe Manchin, another longtime holdout from deep-red West Virginia, routinely drew fire for defending fossil fuels and resisting progressive climate legislation. The tension reached a fever pitch when the state’s governor literally lifted his bulldog in protest of Hollywood elites slamming Manchin’s stance.
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Tulsi Gabbard, once hailed as a rising star, was quietly exiled after Hillary Clinton accused her of being a “Russian asset”—without naming her. Gabbard would later flip fully, eventually joining Trump’s Cabinet and cementing her transformation from anti-war Democrat to MAGA standard-bearer.
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Even within the House, figures like Heath Shuler, a conservative Blue Dog Democrat, paid the price for opposing Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the 2010 midterms. He challenged her leadership, lost, and soon retired—a textbook case of what happens when moderation meets a purist party base.
Fetterman is different—but not immune. His brash persona, working-class aesthetic, and authenticity once made him a darling of disaffected voters. But his willingness to stand with Trump on policy, speak out unapologetically on Israel, and vote with Republicans on spending has fractured his support on the left.
And now the drip-drip of negative press—focusing not on policy, but on fitness and mental health—echoes past character assassinations aimed at other apostate Democrats.
At a time when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer himself is catching flak from progressives for voting with Republicans, the internal strain within the Democratic Party is showing again. Whether Fetterman survives politically will depend less on his votes and more on whether he can withstand the pressure campaign and reassert his standing with the base—or find a new political lane altogether.
