Democratic Senator John Fetterman made a virtual appearance at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, where he praised President Donald Trump and Republican Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania. Fetterman, who describes himself as a "common-sense Democrat," said he was there to support America and reject what he called the extremes of socialism and an "anti-American way of life." He also commended McCormick for being effective in his role and pledged to work with Trump on issues related to steel, specifically referencing the recent U.S. Steel merger with Nippon Steel. In a pre-recorded video, Fetterman was shown standing outside the Mon Valley Works, a steel processing plant in Pittsburgh operated by U.S. Steel. He referred to McCormick as his "great friend" and said he would work with both the senator and Trump to "fight and defend the steel way of life." Fetterman emphasized that despite being a Democrat, he would always stand with America, rejecting what he called the extremes of socialism and anti-American ideologies. He also praised McCormick for being a senator who "gets the job done" and who would fight for Pennsylvania. Fetterman’s appearance at the Republican event has drawn mixed reactions. Some attendees, like Maryland resident Tracy Smith, praised his "common-sense" approach, saying they thought he might be moving closer to the Republican Party. Others, like Arizona attendee Eric Torrison, noted that Fetterman's views align with conservative values and called him "the only sensible Democrat there." However, many of his fellow Democrats have criticized his actions. State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta called Fetterman the "laziest Benedict Arnold America has ever seen," criticizing him for not attending the event in person and for avoiding constituent events, erratic behavior, and aligning with conservative media. These criticisms come after reports from current and former staff suggested Fetterman had been avoiding constituent events and behaving erratically. Fetterman has previously taken positions that put him at odds with the Democratic Party, such as supporting Trump’s strategy in Iran and breaking with other Democrats during the government shutdown. He has denied considering a switch to the Republican Party, saying in an op-ed that he would be a "terrible Republican" who still votes mostly with Democrats. However, he has indicated he would not support the party if it became "the anti-Israel party." His potential shift could make it harder for Democrats to regain control of the Senate, as they need to flip four seats in the upcoming election. McCormick thanked Fetterman for his "friendship" and "courage" after the video message, following a report in The Wall Street Journal that detailed Fetterman’s lack of engagement with constituents. McCormick criticized the report as an example of disloyal staff using anonymous leaks to harm Fetterman.