Trump Says He Would “Love” to Have Sen. John Fetterman as a Republican

President Donald Trump said Saturday he would “love to see” Sen. John Fetterman become a Republican, making one of his most direct public overtures yet to the Pennsylvania Democrat.

Speaking at Joint Base Andrews after returning from a Tennessee midterm rally, Trump called Fetterman a “great guy” and “very solid person” with “great common sense.” “I’d love to see him as a Republican,” Trump said. “If you look at the polls, he does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.” He added that it would be hard for Fetterman to secure the Democratic nomination again.

Fetterman has broken with his party on immigration enforcement, the Iran conflict, and other issues while still voting with Democrats on most legislation. He appeared in a video at the Republican midterm convention last month introducing Pennsylvania’s Republican senator and calling for cooperation with Trump on steel and other priorities. Polling has shown his favorability higher among Pennsylvania Republicans than among Democrats in recent months.

Fetterman has repeatedly rejected a party switch. In a May Washington Post column he described himself as a “terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.” His office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Trump’s latest remarks.

Senate control is at stake in the Nov. 3 midterms. Republicans currently hold the chamber; Democrats need a net gain of four seats to flip it. A switch by Fetterman would alter the arithmetic, though no such move is indicated. Trump’s comments come as both parties campaign heavily in Pennsylvania and other battlegrounds.