Progressives Accuse John Fetterman of Veering Right Over Israel Support
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Key Takeaways
- John Fetterman receives ire from pro-Palestine activists among his voter base, dropping his support to 37%.
- The Israel-Palestine disagreement among Fetterman’s Democrat base is demonstrative of a larger problem in the Party.
- Continued friction among the Party’s voters could spell trouble for Fetterman and other Democrat politicians in 2024 elections.
Our Methodology
Demographics
Democrats
Sample Size
500
Geographical Breakdown
Pennsylvania
Time Period
14 Days
This ensures unparalleled precision, setting a new standard. Find out more about the unique data pull for this article.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is facing backlash from progressive voters over his support for Israel. Among other issues causing his Democrat base alarm, some are claiming he has veered too far to the right to maintain their support. MIG Reports analysis shows a significant split in his support base, reflecting the Party’s larger internal battle over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Voters Angry at Israel Support by Party Representatives
A very vocal portion of progressive Democrat voters are increasingly critical of Senator Fetterman's stance on Israel and Hamas. They argue Israel's response to Hamas has been disproportionate and amounts to genocide. These critics loudly oppose Fetterman’s comments supporting Israel and accuse him of being complicit in what they view as genocide. They regularly challenge the view that Hamas is solely to blame for the conflict.
Pro-Palestine Democrats argue that Israel's actions violate the International Court of Justice and believe Fetterman supports these violations. Some accuse Fetterman of promoting propaganda and misinformation, further deepening their disapproval of his position on the issue. They argue that Israel has killed more civilians in a short period than Hamas has in history.
There is a sense of disappointment in Fetterman, indicating Democrat voters had previously supported him but have been turned off by his views on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Pro-Palestine advocates are expressing severe dissatisfaction with any Democrats who support Israel, and many are suggesting that Fetterman's stance is a deal-breaker for them.
Internal Disagreement with Pro-Israel Voters
The growing division and dwindling support for Fetterman is reflective of a larger crack in the Democrat Party. MIG Reports has previously reported the old-school and new-school split between Israel supporters and radical Palestine supporters.
The Democrat voters who still express support for Fetterman's position argue that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas, which they label as a terrorist organization. They appreciate his stance on Israel, viewing it as a necessary ally in the Middle East.
Often older or more traditional Democrats, this group believes Fetterman is making morally correct choices by supporting Israel. They also commend Fetterman for his continuous support for Israel, appreciating his perspective that Hamas is not only a threat to Israel but to the entire Middle East.
However, support numbers for Fetterman suggest that the pro-Palestine segment of Democrat voters may be winning out.
- In the last two weeks, support for Fetterman among Democrat voters has swung wildly, trending down.
- Overall support dipped to a 14-day low of 40% and a high of 55%.
- Fetterman’s support regarding Israel-Palestine issues dropped to a low of 35%, sitting at 37% on March 11.
- The most recent support dip comes with increased discussion of the Senator, suggesting growing displeasure.
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Other Reasons Democrats are Unhappy with Fetterman
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While the Israel-Palestine issues seems to be the most significant complaint his voters have, Fetterman is also losing support for other issues:
- Fetterman's criticisms of the President have led to significant backlash from some Democrat voters. They believe he's inadvertently helping Trump and weakening the Party.
- Democrat voters perceive Fetterman as not being a true progressive. They accuse him of deceiving the people of Pennsylvania by pretending to be a progressive when he's increasingly siding with the right.
- Fetterman's "tough guy" bit is not resonating well with some Democrat voters. They believe his nonchalant attitude when discussing vital issues is disconcerting, including the way he dresses and speaks.
- His associations with controversial figures like Nina Turner and Kyrsten Sinema have also caused a split in his support.
- There are complaints of "tokenized gay people" on Fetterman's staff, suggesting Democrats feel Fetterman is using these individuals as a shield or for political gain.
Comments like, "This seemed just like much of your drift to the right," indicate there may be a broader perception that Fetterman is moving away from his party's core values. This could potentially worsen a split among Democrats if these perceptions continue to proliferate.
Fetterman’s accused drift towards more conservative positions pose a problem that seems to be facing many Democrats. The most outspoken progressive activists are protesting and making demands – most frequently about a ceasefire in Gaza – but Democrats may also be losing ground with the majority of Americans on issues like the border and the economy.
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