John Fetterman says he's 'more popular' with Republicans, calls situation 'confusing'

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen John Fetterman is scratching his head after admitting he’s somehow winning over the other side of the aisle more than his own.

The Pennsylvania Democrat noted Wednesday, March 25, that he’s “more popular” among Republicans, something he called “confusing” even as his voting record continues to break from the party line on multiple occasions.

Crossing the aisle

Fetterman’s latest eyebrow-raiser came earlier this week, when he stood alone as the only Democrat to back Markwayne Mullin for Secretary of Homeland Security.

As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, Fetterman had already helped push Mullin’s nomination forward. His vote turned out to be pivotal after committee Chair Rand Paul broke ranks and voted no.

That wasn’t a one-off. Fetterman has repeatedly found himself aligned with Republicans (and at times with President Trump) on some high-profile issues.

Earlier this month, he was the only Democrat to vote against a war powers resolution aimed at limiting Trump’s military actions in Iran.

When Washington teetered on the brink of shutdown, Fetterman sided with Republicans to keep the government funded, instead of joining fellow Democrats in holding out for concessions.

On foreign policy, he’s offered unwavering support for Israel during the war in Gaza. That is another major stance that has put him at odds with his party.

Polls and a 'confusing' reality

But Fetterman isn’t buying all the narratives about his political standing.

Appearing on Cuomo on NewsNation, he pushed back on a Quinnipiac University Poll showing him 40 points underwater with Pennsylvania Democrats. He was 68 points above water just a year earlier, a whopping 108-point swing.

“That’s just not accurate,” Fetterman insisted. “You know, there is one that’s not valid. There was one around that same time that I’m 50-50 with Democrats.”

Instead, he pointed to data from Morning Consult suggesting a different and stranger picture.

“Morning Consult came out roughly at the same time,” he said. “And I’m at road 48, 49 with Democrats. And I was in the 60s for Republicans, without a doubt. For some strange way, I am more popular with Republicans, which is– it’s confusing because I vote in the 90s Dem line. And I haven’t voted for the big ticket [items] Trump wants, like the big beautiful bill or SAVE Act, and for those things. So, I mean, there’s a lot of misinformation, I guess. But I am guilty of being a very proud supporter of Israel. And I do support [Operation] Epic Fury.”

‘TDS’ jab at his own party

That said, Fetterman hasn’t softened his tone when talking about his fellow Democrats either.

In a recent appearance on the 'All-In' Podcast, he suggested the party is being driven less by leadership and more by its opposition to Trump.

“Who do you think leads the Democratic Party today?” host David Friedberg asked.

“Oh, we don’t, we don’t have one. I think, I think the TDS that — I think that’s the leader right now. You know, right now our party, is, is governed by the TDS, and now it’s made it virtually impossible, without being punished, as a Democrat, to agree something’s good, or ‘I agree with the other side,’ and I would define that by [Operation] Epic Fury,” Fetterman responded.

“I am literally the only Democrat in America, in Congress, that I’ve come across that’s saying, ‘I think it’s a great thing to break and destroy the Iranian regime,’” he added.