Fetterman defends mental health, desire to stay Congress

Sen. John Fetterman Defends His Congressional Commitment Amid Criticism

Senator John Fetterman has stepped into the ring to counter allegations suggesting that he is no longer interested in fulfilling his duties in Congress. During a debate with Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) on Monday morning, Fetterman accused the media of attempting to “smear” his reputation over his limited public appearances, particularly regarding congressional votes.

“I’m here. I’m doing that job,” Fetterman (D-Pa.) asserted. “Sure, I may have missed some votes — around 10 percent, to be precise. But let’s remember, those absences typically coincide with Mondays, which are travel days for me as a father of three young kids. And many of those missed votes are procedural in nature. If that’s what you want to attack me on, well, have at it.”

The debate took place in Boston as part of The Senate Project, a bipartisan initiative aimed at fostering cooperation, and it was broadcast on Fox Nation.

Fetterman’s office has yet to provide additional comments to POLITICO regarding these ongoing criticisms.

The first-term senator has faced scrutiny not only from the progressive wing of his party but also from constituents in Pennsylvania, particularly concerning his voting record and alleged behavioral issues with staffers.

Fetterman, who suffered a stroke shortly before his 2022 Senate primary victory and subsequently underwent treatment for severe depression in February 2023, has received praise for his openness about his mental health challenges. However, a recent exposé in New York Magazine has raised concerns among current and former staff about his overall mental and physical well-being. Despite these concerns, prominent Democrats have largely remained silent, while at least one progressive group in Pennsylvania has publicly called for Fetterman’s resignation, citing his voting record and “disdainful attitude” toward constituents.

In a scathing letter, Indivisible Pennsylvania stated, “You have failed to fulfill the most basic duties of the office by avoiding contact with your constituents who can’t even leave voicemails after business hours, refusing to hold town halls, yelling at visitors in your office, and inexcusably missing more votes than any other member of the current Senate.”

During the debate, Fetterman pointed out that Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have missed more votes than he has. His remarks sparked questions about media scrutiny of his colleagues’ voting records. “Why aren’t the left media demanding accountability from them?” Fetterman questioned.

To put things into perspective, since taking office in 1991, Sanders has missed 836 out of 6,226 roll call votes, equating to approximately 13.4 percent. Meanwhile, between 1993 and May 2025, Murray missed 290 out of 11,106 votes, or about 2.6 percent. In contrast, Fetterman has missed 174 out of 961 roll call votes, which is roughly 18.1 percent—significantly higher than the median miss rate of 2.9 percent among current senators, according to GovTrack.us.