"I’m not a progressive," Senator John Fetterman goes against the grain, carves new political path

U.S. Senator John Fetterman distances himself from progressive label, defends support for Israel and openness to immigration restrictions.

U.S. Senator John Fetterman is making waves by distancing himself from the progressive label, stating, "I’m not a progressive." Despite gaining prominence in progressive circles for championing issues like single-payer healthcare, recreational marijuana, LGBTQ rights, and endorsing politicians like Bernie Sanders, Fetterman is carving out a distinct political identity.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 15: U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) speaks to members of the press at the U.S. Capitol on November 15, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Senate is expected to vote soon on a continuing resolution that will avoid a government shutdown after midnight on this Friday. (Getty Images via AFP)

In an interview with NBC News, Fetterman defended his strong support for Israel and signalled openness to migration restrictions on the southern border, drawing criticism from some of his supporters. He clarified, “I just think I’m a Democrat that is very committed to choice and other things. But with Israel, I’m going to be on the right side of that. And immigration is something near and dear to me, and I think we do have to effectively address it as well.”

Fetterman faced backlash from certain quarters for supporting Israel's right to respond forcefully after the October 7 Hamas attacks. The senator from Braddock criticized Senator Bob Menendez and said, ““He needs to go. I don’t understand why he can be here, having expelled Santos.” “But I’m sure there might be a very innocent explanation of having gold bars in your mattress and overstuffed envelopes of cash,” he added.

While Fetterman acknowledged the need for a reasonable conversation about immigration, he stressed the challenges of managing the record-high 270,000 migrants encountered at the southern border in September. He said, “It’s a reasonable conversation — until somebody can say there’s an explanation on what we can do when 270,000 people are being encountered on the border, not including the ones, of course, that we don’t know about.”

Fetterman's stance on immigration appears more restrictive than in the past when he espoused a pro-immigrant stance. Social media has highlighted Fetterman's previous defence of his wife, Gisele, a former undocumented immigrant, emphasizing the positive aspects of their family despite breaking immigration laws.

Fetterman's chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, defended the senator's consistency with his policies, noting that Fetterman campaigned for his 2022 race rejecting the progressive label.

While Fetterman may be losing support among progressives, his recent positions could be earning him favour with some Republicans. GOP strategist Christopher Nicholas mentioned that, for many Republicans, Fetterman's approach has been a pleasant surprise.

Despite the criticism from the left, elected Democrats, including Senator Bob Casey, are standing by Fetterman. Casey referred to Fetterman as a "great colleague" who is working diligently to serve the state.