Pennsylvania’s Odd Couple Senators Defy Their Parties Together

Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators keep giving their parties fits, and they keep doing it together.

Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dave McCormick run a joint fundraising committee called Common Ground PA, registered with the Federal Election Commission in July. It splits donors’ contributions between the two senators’ campaigns, a rarity in an era of party-line warfare.

The friendship was on display again this week when McCormick publicly defended Fetterman against anonymous leaks about his office. McCormick called the stories an attempt by forces on the left to cancel his friend, writing on X that Fetterman is an independent thinker who refuses to fall into line.

Fetterman has said he will not campaign against McCormick if the Republican seeks reelection in 2030, describing him publicly as a friend.

The alliance comes as Fetterman’s standing with his own party keeps sinking. A Quinnipiac University poll released Oct. 7 found only 13 percent of Pennsylvania Democrats view him favorably, while 69 percent view him unfavorably. Among Republicans, 72 percent view him favorably.

Fetterman has broken with Senate Democrats on Israel, immigration and some Trump administration nominees, drawing fire from progressives and praise from conservatives. An August poll by The New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Siena found 79 percent of Pennsylvania Republicans viewed him favorably, compared with 20 percent of Democrats.

Fetterman insists he is not switching parties, calling himself a terrible Republican. McCormick’s team says the joint committee is donor-driven, built for contributors who like that the two work together.