Key facts
- Democratic Senator John Fetterman and Republican Senator Dave McCormick have launched a joint fundraising committee.
- The committee, named Common Ground PA, will collect donations for both senators' campaigns.
- Federal Election Commission records confirm the establishment of the joint committee.
- The move has prompted speculation about Fetterman's political alignment and potential shift towards Republican positions.
- Fetterman has previously supported some of Donald Trump's cabinet nominees and immigration policies.
Democratic Senator John Fetterman and Republican Senator Dave McCormick have established a joint fundraising committee, a move that has ignited further speculation about Fetterman's increasingly centrist political stance. The committee, named Common Ground PA, was officially filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday and will collect donations benefiting both senators' campaigns.
This bipartisan arrangement has led some political observers to predict a potential party switch for Fetterman. Anti-Trump activist Rick Wilson suggested Fetterman "is gonna flip," while local politics writer Nick Field noted that Fetterman "caucusing with the Republicans in 2027... looks likelier and likelier." Democratic strategist Mike Nellis advised that Democrats should "assume that Fetterman is a Republican going forward."
Fetterman, who built his reputation as a progressive, has gradually shifted away from some of his earlier left-leaning positions. He has notably broken with fellow Democrats by supporting some of Donald Trump's cabinet nominees and aspects of his immigration enforcement agenda. These shifts have drawn criticism from within his own party.
Despite representing opposing parties, Fetterman and McCormick have publicly collaborated on various issues and described each other as close friends. Both senators currently lack majority approval among Pennsylvania voters, with a February Quinnipiac poll showing Fetterman with 46% job approval and McCormick with 37%.
Fetterman's next re-election campaign is scheduled for 2028, while McCormick's is in 2030. Fetterman for PA reported approximately $1.99 million in cash on hand, according to the latest FEC filings.