Moderate Democrat Sen. John Fetterman had a small slip during a panel in Austin, Texas where he referred to himself as a “life-long Republican” when asked why he hasn’t abandoned the Democrat Party to position himself as an Independent.
Q: Why not become an independent?
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 27, 2026
Fetterman: Because I’m a lifelong Republican.
Garrett: You mean a Democrat.
Fetterman: A Democrat. pic.twitter.com/HD92TVceVr
Fetterman’s leftist detractors couldn’t help but to pile on through social media posts after the small slip up.
That stroke did some amazing damage to his brain https://t.co/Ds6L3YcbVI
— Polling USA (@USA_Polling) September 27, 2026
he didn’t survive the stroke. this is an experiment
— beth (@bethbourdon) September 27, 2026
Come on https://t.co/IFdmIgUBvF
— Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) September 27, 2026
You're no Democrat https://t.co/SXAEg3n8bj
— Joe (@electionsjoe) September 27, 2026
See this is why Dems need to flip the senate by a margin big enough to make this guy irrelevant. https://t.co/w5YQo395an
— Covie (@covie_93) September 27, 2026
THE MASK IS SLIPPING https://t.co/cT2pSp66Es
— palki 🌹 (@themeasuredtake) September 27, 2026
me praying for another stroke https://t.co/zUXmU9r0EG pic.twitter.com/k2NpXCFgMh
— vo (@vanillaopinions) September 27, 2026
Not sure which Senator is more brain-damaged, this guy or Mitch McConnell. https://t.co/9ySknpOJmT
— Jim Stewartson, Decelerationist 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@jimstewartson) September 27, 2026
Fetterman’s additional comments indicated that he could contemplate a party switch after the midterm season has passed and Democrats secure control over the Senate by a single vote. Just 37 days remain until Election Day.