Democrat John Fetterman Says Trump Holds ‘Special Kind of Place’ In PA After Butler Shooting, Hits His Party For ‘Felon’ Attacks

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said many Pennsylvanians have bonded with former President Donald Trump since July when a gunman attempted to kill him at a rally in the commonwealth.

The senator also hit members of his own party for categorizing Trump as a “felon” when referring to his prosecution and conviction on business crimes in New York – arguing Democrats are supposed to be a people who believe in redemption.

During a Thursday sit-down with Jeffrey Goldberg , the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic , Fetterman called on Democrats to “respect” Trump’s connection to many voters at the 2024 Atlantic Festival .

Fetterman said he knew people who personally despised Trump but would vote for him anyway.

“I never agreed with our approach talking about how he’s a convicted felon,” Fetterman said. The senator continued:

I mean, I thought Democrats, we were the party that was all about second chances and that we’re not going to condemn somebody based on mistakes or things in that kind of situation. And I was convinced, too, that those kinds of trials – it’s not gonna have an impact on that. It’s like, what’s left? He’s been impeached twice. Now, it’s been two attempted assassinations – one where a bullet actually hit him.

I also want people to understand, you know, and it’s not science, but there is, there is energy and there is kinds of anger on the ground in Pennsylvania, and people are very committed and – Trump is gonna be strong and we have to respect that. You can’t even understand it and it’s not like a science that can explain it but you just have to know that it’s real.

Elsewhere during the interview, Fetterman said Trump signs across Pennsylvania had become “like the state flower.”

“You see that everywhere,” he said. “Trump has created a special kind of a hold… and he’s remade the party and he has a special kind of place in Pennsylvania. I think that only deepened after that first assassination attempt.”

In July, Trump was grazed in the ear by a would-be assassin’s bullet while holding a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Last week, Trump was golfing in West Palm Beach, Florida, when police said a man posted up in nearby bushes with plans to shoot the GOP nominee.

Watch the full interview below.

Via The Atlantic on YouTube .