By Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis on us),
Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted on Jan. 21, along with Republicans, to advance Pete Hegseth’s candidacy, President Donald Trump chose Defense as secretary of defense, but said he wouldn’t switch to the Republican Party.
Fetterman was the only member of the Democratic Party to join the Republicans in proposing to continue with Hegseth’s candidacy. All the other Democrats who voted, as well as two independents in the Senate, voted against promoting the nomination.
Fetterman’s vote was not needed to move the candidacy forward because Republicans have 53 seats in the 100-member chamber and a simple majority was needed. The vote, however, marks the latest case in which Fetterman has taken a position that is different from many members of his party.
Fetterman recently met with Trump in Mar-a-Lago, appearing to be the only Democratic Party lawmaker to do so. He has also said he will vote for Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, joined Trump’s social media website Truth Social and attended Trump’s inauguration.
Fetterman said in a new interview that he wouldn’t change parties or even leave the Democratic Party.
“If they’re thinking, ‘Oh, it’s going to be like a play by Manchin or Sinema,’ then it’s just not true and it’s not going to happen,” Fetterman told Semaphore. ” That’s not going to happen.”
Fetterman said he has informed Democratic Party leaders that his party affiliation and membership in the Senate Democrats’ caucus will not change.
Former sensibilities Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) left the Democratic Party at the last closed session of Congress to become independent.
Neither senator waved with Republicans, though they both cast a few votes with the GOP.
Fetterman said on the Truth Social show before Trump was sworn in that “it’s the job and duty of the U.S. senator to talk to president-elect Trump candidates.”
He later added: “My votes come from an open-minded and informed opinion after talking to them. It’s not controversial, it’s my job.”
The full Senate vote on January 21 followed a partisan vote by the Senate Armed Services Committee on Jan. 20 to advance Hegseth’s candidacy to all senators.
The final vote on Hegseth is expected in the coming days.
Other Democratic Party senators have expressed opposition to the candidacy.
“The Secretary of Defense is one of the most important roles in ensuring the security of our country, and we need someone who is ready to get to work and succeed on the first day. Pete Hegseth doesn’t bring the kind of experience that prepares anyone to do this tremendous job,” Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said this week.
Republicans, on the other hand, have said they still support Hegseth.
“The President’s elected Secretary of Defense, Mr. Hegseth, has impressive academic qualifications, has done very well in senate armed forces hearings, and has commendable service in uniform. He assured me he surrounded himself with a strong support team,” Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said in a statement. “I will vote for his assurance.”
