Once a rising Democratic star, Sen. John Fetterman has lost ground in the party amid reports of erratic behavior and support for some Republican initiatives. Now, some progressives are reportedly looking for his previous opponent to make a comeback.
In light of Fetterman's apparent estrangement from colleagues in the Democratic Party and his evolution into "Trump's favorite Democrat," the left has reconciled with former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, wondering if maybe they were a little too tough on the once up-and-coming lawmaker who had shot to national attention by winning a deep red district in a 2018 special election.
While Lamb holds no political office and hasn't gone through any apparent ideological transformation, he has shown up to numerous events in his home state of Pennsylvania, where liberals don't think the incumbent they helped elect has been helpful to fights against the Trump administration.
The former congressman has also emerged as an in-demand town hall headliner, sometimes as a stand-in for Fetterman— who just might bash Fetterman.
"I thought I was going to play Senator Fetterman," Lamb joked as he sat down in front of a central Pennsylvania crowd in late June.
By his count, as of early July, the former congressman had attended at least a dozen town halls and party events, easily clocking more than 2,000 miles to appear in small towns, small cities and suburbs, often in conservative areas.
"Showing up matters and it really does make a difference," Dana Kellerman, a Pittsburgh-based progressive organizer told The Associated Press. "Is that going to matter to John Fetterman? I really don't know. I don't know what he's thinking. I don't know if he's always been this person or if he's changed in the last two years."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) was among the first Democrats to express remorse over her initial support for Fetterman. After Lamb rebuked Fetterman on X a few months ago in response to a post from his former political rival attacking Democrats who voted against a Republican funding bill to keep the government open, Ocasio-Cortez wondered aloud about where she could "submit her Conor Lamb apology form."
Other Democrats have used the town halls as a chance to apologize to Lamb in person for rejecting him in the primary. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who joined Lamb at one town hall this spring to discuss Social Security, described several attendees who came up to Lamb and said, "I didn't vote for you in the last primary, and in hindsight, I really wish I had."
So far, Lamb, a former U.S. Marine and federal prosecutor, said he isn't running for anything right now, but he'll do whatever he can to "stop this slide that we're on toward a less democratic country and try to create one in which there's opportunity for people."
Some Democrats, however, say he sounds like a candidate.
"That he's doing these town halls is a good indication that he'll be running for something, so it's a good thing," said Janet Bargh, who attended the event in suburban Harrisburg.
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