U.S. Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said he was “horribly wrong” to oppose the Senate filibuster, reversing a position that was central to his 2022 campaign and now acknowledging that the 60-vote rule serves as a critical protection for Democrats facing Republican-controlled government.
In a Washington Post op-ed published July 27, Fetterman wrote that he had supported eliminating the filibuster as part of his 2022 Senate campaign, when he specifically cited the need to pass abortion protections established under Roe v. Wade as a reason for that stance. “I became one of the first candidates in the country to call for abolishing the filibuster for a reason: it stands in the way of getting things done,” his campaign website stated at the time.
Fetterman’s shift reflects a broader recalibration of his political stance since taking office. As a Democrat in a Republican-led Senate and Trump administration, he now argues that eliminating the filibuster would have catastrophic consequences for his party. “We’d have the Save America Act by now, which I do not support,” he wrote in the op-ed, referencing Trump’s election-reform bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID at the polls. “We could have extreme policies such as nationwide abortion restrictions, backpedaling on LGBT rights, repeal of birthright citizenship and limited voting rights across the country.”
The Pennsylvania Democrat argued that the filibuster “forces compromise” and called it “a critical line of defense that prevents President Donald Trump from having a fill-in-the-blank government.” He wrote that “history has vindicated” former U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia for voting with Republicans to block filibuster reform when Democrats controlled the Senate in 2022.
Fetterman’s reversal has intensified frustration among Democrats. Former U.S. Representative Conor Lamb, who lost to Fetterman in the 2022 primary and has not ruled out challenging him in 2028, called the switch “probably the worst Fetterman story yet.” In a June social media video, Lamb said eliminating the filibuster was essential for Democrats to restore abortion rights and pass legislation on voting rights, gun control, and the minimum wage if they regain Senate control. “When we ran against each other, he promised he would fight for women on this issue and get rid of the filibuster,” Lamb said. “And of course, like so many things, he’s changed his mind.”
Fetterman has been increasingly aligned with Republicans on major issues, drawing criticism from his own party. His filibuster reversal comes as Trump has pressured Senate Republican leaders to eliminate the rule to pass the Save America Act without Democratic support. Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, a Trump ally, has said such a scenario is “very tempting,” even though he campaigned against ending the filibuster in 2024. Fetterman, however, has opposed the Save America Act because of its changes to mail voting, though he has shifted to support requiring photo ID at the polls.
Fetterman acknowledged his earlier position in February 2026, telling Fox News that Democrats “were very wrong about that to nuke the filibuster, and we should really humble ourselves.” His op-ed expanded on that admission, stating that Americans horrified by Republican policies would be alarmed if the filibuster had already been eliminated. The senator framed the filibuster not as an obstacle but as “one of the best features of the Senate” that “requires working together.”
Sources
- Washington Post — Fetterman’s op-ed stating he was “horribly wrong” about the filibuster and explaining his change of mind
- Philadelphia Inquirer — Detailed account of Fetterman’s 2022 campaign position on the filibuster, his reasoning for the reversal, and Democratic reaction including Conor Lamb’s criticism
- Politico — Confirmation of Fetterman’s backpedaling on filibuster elimination and the filibuster’s role as a check on executive power
- TriLive — Coverage of Fetterman’s Washington Post op-ed and his statement that Democrats were wrong to attempt filibuster elimination
