Fetterman's possible 2028 challengers are criticizing his Iran vote

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., continues to be at odds with his party over the U.S. war with Iran and potential 2028 challengers are speaking out.

This week, Fetterman voted against an effort to limit President Donald Trump’s military actions against Iran. On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted 50-48 to pass a war powers resolution from U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., regarding the Iran conflict.

As four Republicans voted to limit Trump’s power, Fetterman, again, was the lone Democrat in opposition.

On Tuesday, during an interview on Fox News, Fetterman was asked about “deep hatred of Israel”.

“If you have such contempt for Israel, I mean, you're also anti-American and you're anti-Western civilization,” he said.

A clip of this response from Fetterman drew reactions from a pair of fellow western Pennsylvania Democrats, who are reportedly considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2028.

“Israel’s national security minister just said, “all of Lebanon needs to burn” so as a proud American veteran I say the pro-American point of view is to hold contempt for him and the government that gives him a ministry. Fetterman is a coward,” former Congressman Conor Lamb, D-Allegheny, wrote on social media Wednesday.

“I’ll tell you what’s un-American: putting Israel or any foreign country ahead of America,” U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-17th District, wrote Wednesday on social media. “We should be focused on Americans’ prosperity at home, not carrying water for Netanyahu’s genocidal and reckless wars.”

U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-2nd District, has also been outspoken in his opposition since the beginning of the Iran War.

While Boyle didn’t post a response to that clip of Fetterman, he took a jab at the senior senator on Monday over a NOTUS report that stated Fetterman was the latest member of Congress to violate a federal transparency and insider trading law.

“You mean the trust fund baby who cosplays working class? Knock me over with a feather,” Boyle wrote.

The Fetterman campaign did not respond to a request for comment from the Center Square.

All three Democrats, according to an Axios report in October, have reportedly been considering a run for U.S. Senate in 2028.

While the Iran War is the latest example of where Fetterman has voted differently than his party, it’s not the only issue. Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term, Democrats have also criticized him for being the only member of the party who voted to confirm several of his cabinet nominations, largely supporting the administration’s immigration enforcement, and supporting GOP plans to fund the government.

None of the Democrats have confirmed they are running for the seat. But they also haven’t ruled out a run.

“I'm running for re-election, which is this year, as folks know, every two years,” Deluzio said at PA Press Club earlier this week, in response to a question if he would challenge Fetterman for U.S. Senate. “28’s a long way away.”

“I've said pretty clearly, publicly, I get encouraged. I will look at it at the time when it comes,” he continued. “I don't know. I don't know what the senator's plans are in 2028 either.”

Boyle didn’t confirm to ABC27 in March whether he’s considering a primary challenge against Fetterman in 2028, but said there’s been disappointment in how the senator has voted.

“Well, there have been a number of votes that I’ve taken issue with where he has been the only Senate Democrat to side with President Trump or Republicans,” Boyle said to ABC27. “But for some reason, despite a voting record that I concede is much more Democratic-aligned than a Republican, it is unfortunate to me that almost every day, if not every day, our Democratic senator from this state goes on TV, most often on Fox News, never criticizes President Trump and is always criticizing Democrats.”

“And I don’t know why that is, number one, and number two, I really wish he would take an approach that is more constructive,” he continued. “I think that that would be better for him, and I think that would be better for the commonwealth.”

Following Fetterman’s vote to advance Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, Boyle said that the senator was showing why he is “Trump’s favorite Democrat,” adding that “He needs to go.”

Lamb, who has been traveling around the state over the past year, has continued to fuel speculation that he’s going to mount a challenge in two years.

In 2022, while Fetterman was serving as the state’s lieutenant governor, he won every single county in the Democratic Party primary for U.S. Senate. He defeated Republican Mehmet Oz by roughly 5 points in the general election for the open seat.

However, Fetterman now appears to be more popular with Republicans in the Keystone State over Democrats.

In mid-February, a Quinnipiac University Poll said that 46% of Pennsylvanians approve of Fetterman’s handling of his job as senator, while 40% disapprove, and 14% had no opinion.

Seventy-three percent of Republicans, however, approve of Fetterman’s job performance, while 18% disapprove. Only 22% of Democrats approve of Fetterman’s handling of his job, while 62% disapprove.

CNN’s Harry Enten noted Fetterman was a +68 with Democrats in Pennsylvania back in 2023, meaning the recent polling shows a 108-point swing among his party.

It is unclear if Fetterman will run for reelection in 2028.

Former Congresswoman Susan Wild has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the office. She has said that “nothing’s off the table,” but didn’t confirm that she’d run for the seat.

Although U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-12th District, hasn’t said if she’s considering a run for the statewide office 2028, prediction markets seem to think she could be a candidate. As of Thursday afternoon, PredictionEdge lists Lee as having the third best odds to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for U.S. Senate in 2028, only trailing Boyle and Lamb.

Lee wrote “2028 can't come fast enough for PA” on social media Thursday afternoon. However, it is unclear whether that was a hint that she was interested in that race or another in 2 years.

Lee’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment from the Center Square.