Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) wrung his hands over democratic socialists' popularity in several New York congressional primaries, calling it a sign that the so-called 'dirtbag left' was taking root in his party.
Appearing on Fox News before Mayor Zohran Mamdani-backed activist Darializa Avila Chevalier and New York State Assemblymember Claire Valdez officially bested incumbent Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman on Tuesday night, Fetterman shared his concerns with Sean Hannity.
He lamented the progressives' popularity with voters when 'good, traditional kinds of Democrats you would expect in New York City' were also on the ballot, saying it made him feel like New York politics is in 'the dancing days of the dirtbag left.'
A term credited to writer and former co-host of the podcast 'Chapo Trap House,' Amber A'Lee Frost, the 'dirtbag left' came to describe an unfiltered set of democratic socialist-aligned voters who people first began clocking around the time of Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) 2016 presidential campaign.
Fetterman's Criticism
'You know, some of these candidates are outrageous,' Fetterman went on to fret to Hannity. 'You have candidates, they're 'abolish ICE,' 'abolish the police,' 'abolish the border.''
The senator, an avowed moderate and unabashed contrarian, baselessly called the candidates part of the 'pro-Hamas wing' and claimed they were 'declaring a war on just regular Democrats.'
Booker and Lander Respond
Later on Wednesday, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) seemed to warn Fetterman against being so rigid about who's part of the Democratic coalition, telling Kaitlan Collins, 'If you want to heal a country, you can't be picking fights.'
'I think we need to understand that our party is not homogeneous,' he went on. 'One of the things that makes the Democratic Party great is it's a big tent party. We need to stay that way. The focus has got to be the November elections.'
Brad Lander, another Mamdani-endorsed candidate, who won the primary for New York's 10th Congressional District, had a similar message, telling Fetterman, the purpose of primaries is to 'determine what kind of candidates we want to put on the field, and they'll be a diverse array of candidates because they reflect and represent a diverse array of districts.'
He also urged the senator to 'stop attacking other Democrats and decide to rejoin the fold,' while noting he was welcome to leave the party if he so chooses.
Fetterman's Lone Vote
On Monday, Fetterman was the lone Democrat to vote 'no' on a war powers resolution aimed to curb conflict with Iran. Four Republicans supported the largely symbolic measure, which passed 50–48.
