John Fetterman Loses It After McCormick Flips Pennsylvania Senate Seat, Curses Out His Own Constituents

One approach to winning over voters? Some might think insults will do the trick.

At least, that seems to be the advice of Democratic Senator John Fetterman.

The Associated Press called the Pennsylvania Senate race on Thursday, with three-term Democratic incumbent Bob Casey losing his seat to Republican David McCormick.

In a tight contest, with only about 30,000 votes separating the candidates, Casey has not yet conceded, according to Newsweek. Meanwhile, Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s other senator, took to X (formerly Twitter) to weigh in on the outcome.

WARNING: The following post contains vulgar language that may offend some readers.  

Fetterman shared a screenshot showing the vote tally for Green Party candidate Leila Hazou and framed her supporters as “Green dips***s,” blaming them for “helping elect the GOP.”

It goes without saying that insulting voters isn’t exactly a winning strategy for Democrats, especially after Tuesday’s losses in both the presidential and congressional races.

X owner Elon Musk even responded, offering Fetterman some advice on the matter.

WARNING: The following post contains vulgar language that may offend some readers.  

Scott Pressler, an activist known for his voter registration efforts in Pennsylvania, also chimed in, warning Fetterman that while his seat might be secure for now, the Green Party might not forget his words down the line.

However, before criticizing Fetterman’s outburst, it’s worth considering if he has a point.

To some extent, he does.

Third-party candidates can sometimes act as spoilers, drawing crucial votes away from Democrats or Republicans in tight races. One of the most notable examples is the 1912 election, when Republican incumbent President William Howard Taft lost to Democrat Woodrow Wilson. Former President Theodore Roosevelt ran as a Progressive Party candidate, splitting the Republican vote and ensuring Wilson's victory.

But is Fetterman’s approach effective? Not at all.

Instead of alienating voters who lean away from the Democratic ticket, politicians should aim to connect with them. Winning over voters typically involves addressing the issues they care about—not resorting to insults.

Fetterman, along with some Democrats, appears to miss this point, and recent election results reflect that. Accusations of “fascism” and extreme comparisons did little to help Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s election.

By antagonizing the Green Party, Fetterman may eventually find himself facing the same setbacks.