It’s good to know that there is still one Democrat in the Senate who seems to have some principles. A Senate Democrat who is willing to challenge his party because it puts country first.
I’m writing, of course, about Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who on Saturday joined host Kayleigh McEnany on Fox News’ “Saturday in America” to talk about the shutdown and why he’s voting with Republicans to get government back up and running.
The government shutdown has become one of the longest in U.S. history, with Democrats and Republicans deadlocked over health care funding.
Among the few lawmakers to break ranks was Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who voted with Republicans to reopen the government. He now invites his colleagues to do the same.
“It’s an easy choice, very easy, to choose my country over the party, especially in circumstances like this,” Fetterman said on “Saturday in America.”
The Senate on Thursday failed 54-46 to advance a Republican bill to pay some federal workers during the shutdown, missing the 60 votes needed to pass the measure. Only three Democrats, including Fetterman, voted with the Republicans.
In fact, only one Democrat (other than Senator Fetterman) and one independent voted with the Republicans, namely Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Senator Angus King (I-ME). Senator Fetterman appears to have arranged his webs in a linear fashion on this issue, and he is clearly willing to work with Republicans to move beyond the shutdown and start talking about deals; he said it himself.
But Fetterman said he believes Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is an “honorable man” and that health care discussions will move forward when the government is reopened.
Shut down our government and America will lose.
2 MILLION Pennsylvanians rely on SNAP to feed their families.
For me, it’s hungry Americans who are celebrating.
Paying our military to party.
Paying the Capitol Police and federal employees for a party.
I choose the countryside rather than the party. pic.twitter.com/JQbGkzYdw8
– US Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) October 22, 2025
He is a man who has demonstrated courage, principles and who has frankly come a long way since his election. At that time, this writer, like many people, did not think he would hold office; some claimed that it would not last the year. He suffered a stroke and later battled depression, but he seems to have hit his stride now.
We should never forget that he is still a Democrat. He will still disagree with Republicans on a number of issues and show no desire to move to the other side of the aisle. But he’s rare these days: a true moderate Democrat, a man who puts his voters before his party. At least when it comes to closure. It is not conservative and only has a 7% rating according to Heritage Action. But it reminds us of a time when someone could be liberal and still be someone worthy of respect. More specifically, it reminds me of the time when there were still moderate Democrats.
Make no mistake: If I were a Pennsylvania resident, I would not vote for John Fetterman. But I suspect that if I had a grievance and had the chance to talk to him about it, he would listen to me and take me seriously – even if we ended up disagreeing.
Learn more: Reducing Pain: Senate Defends Nuclear Weapons Bill Payment for Civil Servants
Uh-Oh, Chuck: Fetterman supports ‘nuclear option’ to end Schumer’s partisan shutdown
Watch Senator Fetterman’s full interview on Fox News:
Editor’s Note: Schumer’s closure is here. Rather than putting the American people first, Chuck Schumer and radical Democrats forced a government shutdown on health care for illegal immigrants. They own that.
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