As many Democrats sour on Pennsylvania Sen.
A Navy veteran,
It’s a high-profile moment for a second-term congressman who was already aggressively expanding his reach, traveling across Pennsylvania to campaign for fellow Democrats — while leaving the door wide open to a Senate run as soon as 2028, when Fetterman’s term ends.
“I’ll let John make his own decisions, but I may have more to say after ‘26,” Deluzio told Bloomberg Government in a roundtable interview this week, referring to next year’s midterm elections. He later added, “I’m not making any decisions.”
Fetterman’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Democratic insiders expect Fetterman to face a fierce primary challenge in 2028, or decline a reelection bid after a rocky first term in which he’s often clashed with his party.
Deluzio’s comments will only add to growing speculation around a 41-year-old who openly talks about shaping his party’s economic message for the next presidential race.
His video with fellow Democrats, and resulting conflict with Trump, highlights a confrontational style many in his party crave.
As Trump calls Deluzio and others traitors, the congressman refused an FBI interview — “I’m not doing that,” he said — cited the attacks in a fund-raising appeal, and reinforced his message as legal and moral.
“It’s a statement of the law. The fact the president’s response was, ‘arrest them, kill them, hang them’ to us, stating the law tells me more about Donald Trump than any of us,” Deluzio said.
After the resulting threats, he added, “I’m taking them very seriously to protect my family and me and my staff. But it’s a real thing when the president does that stuff.”
Even before the video, Deluzio drew Democratic insiders’ attention.
This summer, he twice joined Sen.
Born in 1984, Deluzio says he’s part of the first generation since World War II that expects their standard of living to fall short of what their parents enjoyed.
“It is the central problem that any political operation, that any political party, has to face,” he told BGov. “It is an opportunity, I think, and hope for Democrats to own fixing that crisis.”
He said he’s had disagreements with Fetterman, but that they have a good working relationship. Still, he didn’t rule out a challenge.
Democrats have taken note.
‘He’s Aggressive’
“Chris is more of what we need to see in the Democratic party,” said former Rep. Susan Wild, who represented a Pennsylvania swing district. “There’s nothing about him that’s going to scare suburban voters, but he’s also not the same old boring, corporate Democrat.”
Wild, however, stressed that she also sees former Rep.
Deluzio, Lamb, and Rep.
For now, Deluzio says his focus is helping shape an economic message Democrats can wield in the 2028 presidential election and offering a pro-active agenda that goes beyond opposing Trump.
Deep manufacturing losses in and around Deluzio’s district near Pittsburgh embody the declines that shifted many working-class voters, and critical swing states such as Pennsylvania, to Trump, who plans to visit the state Tuesday.
Deluzio stands out for his strident, unflinching style, said J.J. Abbott, a party strategist in the commonwealth.
“He’s meeting that moment because he’s aggressive,” Abbott said.
Naming Names
Traditionally, the route to holding relatively competitive seats such as Deluzio’s was to remain moderate in politics and temperament, often with a pro-business sheen.
But his approach shows how strains of populism now widely infuse both parties.
Deluzio has built his loose “economic patriotism” platform around fighting corporate power and standing up for manufacturing and labor.
“If you’re going to tell folks you’re fighting for them but won’t name who or what you’re fighting against, I don’t know that they really believe you,” Deluzio said. “We should be clear about who’s the villain.”
Despite representing a moderate district decided by about 6 percentage points in the last two presidential races, Deluzio joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He co-founded a Congressional Monopoly Busters Caucus, and embraced some tariffs to support manufacturing, while criticizing Trump’s approach as chaotic.
Deluzio’s road to statewide office, however, would be challenging.
Lamb, who gained national attention with a massive upset win in 2018, is also keeping a busy public schedule. Boyle is building his profile and hasn’t ruled out a Senate run. Others may run as well.
Republicans and some Democrats say Deluzio has a long way to go to establish his name in a vast state.
“He has not proven himself to be much of an electoral powerhouse,” said Brock McCleary, a Republican pollster from Pennsylvania.
Abbott, the Democratic strategist, said Deluzio’s military background blended with populism is a potent mix.
“There’s a real appetite for that kind of politics right now,” he said.
Erik Wasson in Washington and Greg Giroux in Washington also contributed to this story.
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