Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) is turning out to be quite an interesting figure. When he first campaigned for and assumed office, he was recovering from a stroke, and many, including yours truly, speculated as to whether he’d be up to the task of being a senator. He’s done all right, though, and while in the past he’s espoused support for some “progressive” policies, these days he seems to be much more moderate. He’s a staunch supporter of Israel, to the point where he laughingly waves Israeli flags in front of idiot pro-Hamas protestors.
In his latest break with his Democrat colleagues, he has expressed support for President-elect Donald Trump’s rumored pick for Secretary of State — Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has become the first Democrat to back President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of nominating Florida Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State.
Trump is expected to choose Rubio for the top position.
While Trump could still change his mind, Rubio would have an easy chance with approval, now with Fetterman’s blessing. Rubio would need approval from 51 senators. Republicans won the majority of the Senate during the election cycle this year, giving them a 52-seat advantage, in addition to Fetterman’s expected vote.
“Unsurprisingly, the other team’s pick will have political differences than my own,” Fetterman said in a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday morning. “That being said, my colleague @SenMarcoRubio is a strong choice and I look forward to voting for his confirmation.”
His support, in the end, makes no difference as far as the vote count goes; the new Senate GOP has enough seats to carry the new President Trump’s nominations forward regardless. But it’s an interesting endorsement nonetheless.
See Related: REPORT: Donald Trump Will Select Sen. Marco Rubio As Secretary of State
‘It’s Astonishing’: Fetterman Blown Away by the ‘Intensity’ of Support for Trump, Musk in Pennsylvania
What makes all this interesting is the fact that Democrats, now that they are in the minority, will be shouting from the rooftops the need for “bipartisanship,” which historically they have defined as “Republicans doing what we tell them.” Well, here is a senator from a swing state — in fact, in the 2024 election, it was the swing state — and he’s sounding pretty pleased with one of President-elect Trump’s first high-profile nominations.
Senator Fetterman had still more praise for his Florida colleague.
“Unsurprisingly, the other team’s pick will have political differences than my own,” Fetterman said in a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday morning. “That being said, my colleague @SenMarcoRubio is a strong choice and I look forward to voting for his confirmation.”
Fetterman told Fox News last month that he was “shocked” Trump did not select Rubio as his vice-presidential running mate in the 2024 election.
“I’m a fan of my colleague from Florida,” Fetterman said. “I was actually shocked that Trump didn’t pick him over (Ohio Senator JD) Vance.”
Setting aside the VP question — clearly, Donald Trump made an excellent choice — this is something of a flashback to the old days when the parties weren’t separated by quite so wide a gulf. As much as John Fetterman struggled in the beginning, he sure seems to be settling into the role of one of the Democratic Party’s few remaining moderates. Indeed, loathe as I am to offer Democrats advice, national Democrats would do well to look to him as an example.
