John Fetterman Is More Popular With Pennsylvania Republicans Than With His Own Party, New Poll Finds

Breaking

A new New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena College poll of 760 likely Pennsylvania voters, conducted Aug. 17-21, found Sen. John Fetterman’s standing with his own party has collapsed even as his popularity with Republicans has surged. The poll shows Fetterman at just 22% favorable and 63% unfavorable among Pennsylvania Democrats — a net -41 — while Republicans view him favorably by 73%, a net +52. Overall, Fetterman sits at roughly 49% favorable to 43% unfavorable among all Pennsylvania voters.

The reversal is so pronounced that Fetterman’s favorability among Pennsylvania Republicans now exceeds that of the state’s actual Republican senator, Dave McCormick, who polled at 63% favorable with GOP voters in the same survey. Siena Research Institute director Don Levy, who oversaw the poll, said, “If you didn’t know any difference, you would immediately assume that Fetterman and McCormick are both Republicans, and that Fetterman is an extremely popular Republican senator amongst Republicans.” Levy added, “I can’t think of another case exactly like this.”

Details & Background

The poll’s internal crosstabs point to Israel policy and Fetterman’s willingness to work with Trump as the two biggest sources of Democratic frustration. About half of Pennsylvania Democrats, and 57% of those under 30, say Fetterman is “too supportive” of Israel, while roughly two-thirds say he sides with Trump too often. Pennsylvania Democratic voters interviewed by the Inquirer didn’t hide their frustration: Joseph Jaskula, a retired Democratic salesman from Lewisburg, said, “I’m so disappointed in him, I can’t even see straight,” adding, “He voted with the Republicans on that… And he’s had some other ones where we wonder if he’s a Republican or a Democrat.” Republican voters, meanwhile, described warming to him for the opposite reason — Butler warehouse worker Nicholas Morabito told the Inquirer, “I don’t think there’s very much difference between the two of us. Just the difference in party,” calling Fetterman “a voice in the party, standing up for what’s right.”

The numbers extend a trend that has been building for nearly a year. An earlier Quinnipiac University poll in October 2025 found a similar pattern of rising Republican approval and falling Democratic approval for Fetterman, and internal polling commissioned by Pennsylvania Democrats in February reportedly set off what one unnamed Pittsburgh-area Democratic strategist described as “a break-glass, freak-out moment” inside the party. Fetterman has also drawn fire this year for breaking with progressive colleagues on issues ranging from immigration to the filibuster, and in July he publicly clashed with Sen. Bernie Sanders over Sanders’ backing of a Maine Senate candidate accused of sexual assault, saying Sanders should apologize for the endorsement.

Reactions

Senate Republicans have made little secret of their interest in Fetterman, even if the poll itself didn’t prompt a fresh statement from Senate Majority Leader John Thune. In comments made earlier this summer that have resurfaced alongside the new numbers, Thune said, “Yes, we would welcome him… there are many of us who I think would welcome the opportunity to have him join the Republican conference.” Thune added, “This is a party that’s moving further and further, more radically, to the more extreme left on a lot of issues. And I think people like John Fetterman… are really kind of people without a home.”

On the Democratic side, House members from Pennsylvania have been notably cautious rather than combative when asked about Fetterman’s future, according to Punchbowl News. Rep. Brendan Boyle said, “My focus right now is on 2026, but I would just say I’d be very surprised if he ran in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate,” while Rep. Madeleine Dean said, “My concern is entirely about him and his health… I disagree with many of his votes.” Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said, “It’s no secret that I’ve been disappointed with some of his votes and that I’m confused by it,” and Rep. Summer Lee, when asked whether Fetterman should run again, said simply, “That’s up to him,” adding he would do so only “at his own peril.”

Why This Matters to You

A sitting senator posting historically lopsided numbers with the opposing party isn’t just a political oddity — it’s a real signal of how far Fetterman has drifted from a Democratic base that has grown increasingly frustrated with him on Israel, Trump and immigration, even as those same positions have made him something close to a folk hero among Pennsylvania Republicans.

With Fetterman’s seat not up again until 2028 and Pennsylvania House Democrats already publicly hedging on whether they’d back him in a primary, the poll adds real weight to the question of whether one of the Senate’s most unpredictable members still has a political home in his own party — or whether Washington Republicans’ open invitation eventually looks less like a joke and more like an option.