Fetterman holds a higher approval rating among Republicans than McCormick

A plurality of likely voters in Pennsylvania have a favorable opinion of their U.S. senators, although one has the advantage with both parties and independents, according to a new poll.

Forty-nine percent of likely voters in the Keystone State have either a very or somewhat favorable view of U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat, while 43% have an unfavorable view of him, according to a New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena poll conducted in Pennsylvania from Aug. 17-21.

Thirty-nine percent of likely voters in Pennsylvania also have a favorable opinion of U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, a Republican, while 30% have an unfavorable view of him.

Among those who identified themselves as Republicans, 79% have a favorable opinion of Fetterman, while 17% have an unfavorable view. Among his fellow Republicans, 66% have a favorable opinion of McCormick, while 10% have an unfavorable view.

Both senators' approval ratings are underwater among likely voters who identify as Democrats.

Just 20% of Democrats said they view Fetterman favorably, while 69% view him unfavorably. Eighteen percent of Democrats have a favorable opinion of McCormick, while just under half, 49%, have an unfavorable view of the GOP senator.

Fetterman’s notoriety also stands out.

Seven percent said that they didn’t know or refused to respond when asked about their view of the state’s senior senator, while just 1% polled said they had not heard of him.

For McCormick, 21% said they didn’t know or refused to respond when asked whether they viewed him favorably, while 12% said they hadn't heard of him.

However, both senators are above water with independents. Fifty-four percent of independents have a favorable opinion of Fetterman, while 39% have an unfavorable opinion. McCormick holds a 40% favorability rating among independents, while 30% view him unfavorably.

Fetterman has found himself at odds with his fellow Democrats during Trump’s second term in the Oval Office, while McCormick is an ally of the president.

Forty-seven percent of likely voters in Pennsylvania say that Fetterman is “about right” when it comes to Trump, while 38% said that he supports the president too much, and just 6% said that he opposes the president too much.

Donald Trump won Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes in 2024, however, the latest poll shows that a majority of voters said they don’t approve of his handling of the presidency.

Fifty-eight percent of Pennsylvania likely voters either strongly or somewhat disapprove of Trump’s job performance, while 39% either strongly approve or somewhat approve of the president’s handling of his job.

Voters were also asked about Trump’s handling of five issues as president, which included the economy, cost of living, immigration, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the war in Iran. A majority disapproved of Trump’s handling of all of them.

Although Fetterman, McCormick, and Trump won’t be on the ballot, the president’s job performance is expected to play a role in down-ballot races in Pennsylvania and beyond in November.

As control of the U.S. House is on the line, Democrats are targeting four seats to flip in Pennsylvania, which could deliver them a majority in 2027.

The latest New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena poll doesn’t break down each specific battleground race, but shows that Democrats are generally favored over Republicans.

Fifty-one percent of likely voters in Pennsylvania said that they would vote for the Democratic candidate for Congress in their district if the election were held today, while 44% said they’d vote for the Republican candidate.

Fifty-three percent of likely voters in the state said they’d prefer the Democratic Party in control of the U.S. House, while 44% said the Republican Party.

In an interview with CNN last week, former GOP U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey offered advice for Republicans running in battleground districts this November.

“First of all, I think if you are a Republican running in a competitive House district or a competitive statewide race, you don't want this to be a referendum on Donald Trump because he's very unpopular in those kinds of places,” Toomey said on Aug. 18. “So, you want to localize the election.”