Democratic Senator John Fetterman said on Thursday that his party is to blame for the ongoing government shutdown.
In a town hall hosted by NewsNation's Chris Cuomo, Fetterman said he would "absolutely love to have a conversation about extending the tax credits for health care," which are at the center of the shutdown fight.
"But I would remind everybody, too, this was designed by the Democratic Party to expire at the end of the year. This is not something taken from by the Republicans. That's, they were designed to expire now. Let's have a conversation to extend it and not shut our government down," Fetterman added.
NPR detailed that the tax credits that make the Affordable Care Act health care premiums affordable for many expire in December, but Democrats want them extended before enrollment begins on November 1, and they have made it a condition to reopen the government.
Fetterman rejected the party's negotiating tactic, saying he follows "country, then party," claiming that shutting down the government is "the wrong thing for the country in a period of chaos."
It is the latest disagreement between Fetterman and the rest of his party, something that has led some figures to begin planning his ouster in the next primary election, according to a new report.
Axios noted that potential primary challengers are already criticizing Fetterman, even if the election is three years away. They include Reps. Brendan Boyle and Chris Deluzio, as well as former Rep. Conor Lamb, insiders told the outlet.
They have all bashed Fetterman, with Boyle calling him "Trump's favorite democrat" and saying he visited Mar-a-Lago to "kiss the ring."
Fetterman largely dismissed the allegations made in the piece, telling Axios "enjoy your clickbait!" "Please do not contact," he added when asked a follow-up question.
Some Fetterman aides interviewed by Axios said they don't believe he will run for re-election in 2028 because he dislikes Washington D.C. politics and he is politically isolated. Moreover, a September Quinnipiac poll showed that most Democrats in Pennsylvania disapprove of his job, but he has a positive approval rating overall with all voters. And people who know him said he has long held presidential ambitions.
The report follows another from August that claimed some progressives regret their support of Fetterman. And in June, a series of reports increased scrutiny over his state of mind. One of them was an outburst during a meeting with union officials and another a feature piece in New York Magazine where former staffers and advisers detailed their concerns about the senator. Fetterman has largely dismissed the reports.
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