The list of Pennsylvania Democrats considering a 2028 run at the Senate seat held by Sen. John Fetterman continues to grow.
“I’m going to be considering it,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-4) on Tuesday in a report from POLITICO.
Dean, who won her fifth term in Washington last week, said that she has concerns about the Keystone State’s senior senator.
“I have been concerned about, really, two things, which is his family and his health … and am very disappointed in his activity as a senator and in his votes,” she said.
The 67-year-old Dean added her name to a group of western Pennsylvania politicians also considering a run at Fetterman. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-17) has expressed an interest and has said he is giving “serious thought” to a run, while former Rep. Conor Lamb has also been the source of speculation.
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-02), who had been considering a move to the Senate, opted to remain in the House before the election, as the Democrats’ “Blue Tsunami” has him poised to become House Budget Committee chair.
“Well I would not like John Fetterman to be the 2028 nominee, I’ve made that clear,” he told NBC Philadelphia in an interview. “I think there will be a lot of talented people who look at this. I have no doubt that we will have a Democratic nominee in 2028 for the Senate who reflects my values and my views on issues – that’s important to me – and I have to say that’s not a worry of mine.”
Dean was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 2018, but dropped out of the race after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court redrew the state’s congressional districts, choosing to run for the 4th District seat. The district had previously been the 13th, represented by two-term fellow Democrat Boyle. But the 13th’s share of Philadelphia, including Boyle’s home, was drawn into the 2nd district, and he opted to run for reelection there.
“These are not normal times. The American people have spoken — They demand leaders who are relentlessly focused on lowering costs, making healthcare affordable, upholding the rule of law, and restoring decency to our government,” Dean said in the statement. “As we head into the 120th Congress — with resounding Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate — I will continue to evaluate where I can do the most good for my constituents, for Pennsylvanians, and for our country.”
