Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania appeared in a prerecorded video Wednesday, September 9, 2026, praising Republican Senator Dave McCormick during the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention.
“Why am I here talking to you today?” Fetterman said in a prerecorded video. “Because, well, I’m a common sense Democrat.” He went on to praise McCormick, saying, “David McCormick is the kind of senator that gets the job done,” and arguing that the two senators could work with President Trump to help revitalize Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry. Fetterman also referred to McCormick as a “friend.”
Bureau of Labor Statistics data analyzed by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis shows that manufacturing employment in Pennsylvania has declined slightly during Trump’s second term.
The appearance comes after Fetterman and McCormick joined forces earlier this summer to launch a joint fundraising committee, highlighting an increasingly cooperative relationship between the two senators despite their different party affiliations.
Fetterman also used the video to distance himself from the political left, saying he would always “reject the extremes in socialism and that anti-American way of life.” His remarks come as progressive and democratic socialist candidates have secured Democratic nominations in several high-profile Senate and House races.
Fetterman’s appearance at the Republican gathering underscores his willingness to publicly work with Republicans and criticize elements of his own party as Democrats prepare for the 2026 midterm elections.
