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Progressive Group Launches PrimaryFetterman.com — Says Sen. Fetterman "Sold Us Out"

Progressive Group Launches PrimaryFetterman.com — Says Sen. Fetterman "Sold Us Out"
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., arrives for votes on Nov. 10, 2025, on Capitol Hill.(Getty Images)

The Pennsylvania chapter of the Working Families Party launched PrimaryFetterman.com, funded by its PAC, to push a primary challenge to Sen. John Fetterman, saying he "sold us out." The site accuses Fetterman of supporting numerous Trump nominees and skipping Senate duties, and it allows past donors to request refunds. Fetterman, not up for reelection until 2028, has criticized calls to abolish ICE and said he would back military action in Iran if deemed necessary. The move signals a sharper split between the senator and his former progressive backers.

The Pennsylvania chapter of the Working Families Party has launched PrimaryFetterman.com, an online effort funded by the party's PAC to mount a primary challenge against Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.). The site declares that the organization "supported John Fetterman in 2022" and now believes "he's sold us out. It's time to replace him."

What the New Site Claims

The homepage accuses Fetterman of backing "more of Trump's nominees than any Democratic senator," routinely skipping Senate votes and neglecting other duties. The Working Families Party (WFP) says the site will help train and recruit potential challengers, solicit donations, and even allow people who previously donated to Fetterman's campaigns to request refunds through the site.

Progressive Group Launches PrimaryFetterman.com — Says Sen. Fetterman
Supporters of Pennsylvania Democratic Senatorial candidate John Fetterman react at a watch party in Pittsburgh during the midterm elections on Nov. 8, 2022

WFP's Strategy and Positioning

On social media and in prior statements, the Pennsylvania WFP described its push as an escalation of the challenge first announced last November. The group says it is preparing candidates, recruiting volunteers and raising funds to support a primary opponent — signaling a continued rift between the state's progressive organizers and the senator they backed in 2022.

Fetterman's Response And Recent Stances

Fetterman, who is not up for re-election until 2028, responded when the primary effort was first announced:

"I guarantee whoever they put up, they’re going to make me look the reasonable guy that’s going to work with both sides together and find a way for Pennsylvania."

Progressive Group Launches PrimaryFetterman.com — Says Sen. Fetterman
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., departs following a vote at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 7, 2026.

Separately, Fetterman has urged Democrats to avoid advocating what he called "extreme" positions such as abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a post on X, he wrote, "Even Mayor Frey of Minneapolis doesn’t support abolishing ICE. The party must resist the destructive tendencies to push extreme positions," and added calls to "secure the border" and deport criminals while protecting hardworking migrants.

Fetterman also told CNN he would support President Donald Trump taking military action in Iran if assessments justified it, saying, "Sure, absolutely," and noting he backed last year’s strike on Iranian facilities.

Background

The Working Families Party describes itself on its site as "a multiracial party that fights for workers over bosses and people over the powerful." The new website marks a tangible intensification of the group's effort to replace a senator they once supported.

Reporting: Fox News Digital reporters Alex Nitzberg and Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi contributed to this report. Fox News Digital reached out to Fetterman’s office for comment.

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