Fetterman began his campaign for the Senate by highlighting his support for organized work, a $ 15 minimum wage, the legalization of marijuana and LGBTQ rights. In his launch video, he appealed to residents across the famous divided state – his motto is “every county, every vote” – and pointed to his efforts to revitalize Braddock.
“I am running because it is a kind of closing the circle on a 20-year journey that I am doing,” he said in an interview with POLITICO. “I came to Braddock here 20 years ago, in 2001, and it was a deliberate choice to do that. It was one of the most marginalized, forgotten, forgotten and abandoned communities in the state. And I wanted to work [for] issues – the central theme was inequality – and that’s what I did. “
The vice governor is starting his campaign with the support of two unions: United Steelworkers District 10 and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776, which together represent a total of nearly 80,000 workers in Pennsylvania.
Fetterman previously ran as an underdog for the Senate in 2016, competing unsuccessfully for Republican Senator Pat Toomey’s seat in a Democratic primary against party favorite Katie McGinty and former MP Joe Sestak. Halfway through his term, two years later, Fetterman defeated current Democratic governor Mike Stack in a primary and won on the same plate as Governor Tom Wolf in the double-digit general election.
Fetterman, although again not to be the choice of the establishment, is now seen as one of the pioneers in the Democratic primaries, with a strong base in western Pennsylvania.
Insiders see Dep. Conor Lamb, who comes from the same part of the state, and Dep. Brendan Boyle, another labor ally, as two potential candidates who could compete for some of the same voters as Fetterman. State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, who has his eye on the chair, can also dispute with him the support of progressives.
Fetterman did not take a position on whether the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee should, unlike 2016, remain neutral in the primaries: “I really didn’t think about it”. He said he did not speak to the Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer.
Asked about his position on legislative obstruction, which requires 60 votes to approve most bills, he said it should be eliminated.
“Let’s be honest here: if Mitch McConnell is in favor of something, it should make anyone stop and say, ‘well, then I should probably be against it,'” he said.
Fetterman said he disagrees with lawmakers who want to limit additional stimulus checks to be eliminated from individuals earning more than $ 50,000 a year, and called it “a tragedy” that a higher minimum wage looks like it will not pass. economic rescue package.
Fetterman can face opponents in the Democratic primaries by challenging him from the left and right. He opposes the ban on fracking, a critical industry in Pennsylvania, and did not adopt the “New Green Deal”. He also calls himself a progressive who endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders for president in 2016.
Fetterman said he agreed with parts of the New Green Deal – he wants to create millions of union jobs to abandon fossil fuels – and promised not to take money from the fossil fuel industry. But when it comes to fracking, he said, “We can’t just play [out] all these union jobs and all these workers’ jobs and say, ‘Well, go learn to program and maybe you can work on Google or elsewhere.’ “
Toomey announced last year that he will not seek re-election in 2022. The Pennsylvania race is widely seen as the country’s best opportunity for Democrats to win a seat on the House. For Republicans, it is a mandatory election in their campaign to retake the 50-50 Senate, which is now controlled by Democrats due to Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to break ties.
The rare chance of a Senate seat drew several potential candidates. Along with Lamb, Boyle and Kenyatta, other possible Democratic candidates include Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, State Senator Sharif Street and Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym John McGuigan, a former Norristown district councilor, declared his candidacy.
Among Republicans, former Republican MP Ryan Costello, former Navy secretary Kenneth Braithwaite, real estate developer Jeff Bartos, 2018 government candidate Paul Mango, former US attorney William McSwain, former US ambassador USA Carla Sands, 2020 House candidate Sean Parnell, business consultant Craig Snyder and representatives Mike Kelly and Guy Reschenthaler are possible customers.