In a dramatic political reversal, U.S. Senator John Fetterman has flipped the partisan script on his job approval rating, according to a Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters in Pennsylvania released today.
For the first time since taking office, the Democratic Senator now enjoys a high approval rating among Republicans while a majority of voters in his own party disapprove of his performance.
- Republicans now approve of Fetterman’s job performance by a margin of 62% to 21%.
- Democrats, conversely, disapprove 54% to 33%.
- Independents are evenly split with 43% approving and 43% disapproving.
The latest numbers, showing Fetterman’s overall approval at 46% approve to 38% disapprove, mark a monumental shift from January 2024. At that time, Republicans overwhelmingly disapproved of Fetterman (75% to 16% approval), while Democrats strongly approved (80% to 10% approval).
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“One-time Democratic darling John Fetterman flips the approval script as Republicans embrace him and Democrats give him low marks nearly two years after GOP voters wouldn’t give him the time of day,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.
Shapiro Hits Highest Approval Rating, Dominates 2026 Matchups
The poll also contained excellent news for Governor Josh Shapiro (D) as he winds down his third year in office. Shapiro’s job approval rating has reached a new peak of 60%, with only 28% disapproving, the highest mark since Quinnipiac began polling the question in June 2023. This is up from his previous high of 59% in January 2024.
Shapiro’s popularity cuts across the aisle with overwhelming support from his base and a majority of independents:
- Democrats: 93% approve, 3% disapprove.
- Independents: 66% approve, 20% disapprove.
- Republicans: 57% disapprove, 28% approve.
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Looking ahead to the anticipated 2026 gubernatorial election, Shapiro holds substantial leads against potential Republican rivals:
- He leads Republican candidate State Treasurer Stacy Garrity 55% to 39%.
- He leads his 2022 opponent, Doug Mastriano, 56% to 39% in a hypothetical rematch.
“Governor Josh Shapiro clinches an enviable 60 percent job approval and leaves his two potential gubernatorial challengers in the rear-view mirror in a very early look at Pennsylvania’s 2026 gubernatorial race,” Malloy said.
Hypothetical 2028 Presidential Test
In a purely speculative look at the 2028 presidential race, Shapiro, a native son of Pennsylvania, leads a hypothetical matchup against Vice President J.D. Vance (R) in the swing state, 53% to 43%. He secures 58% to 33% support from independents and 97% of Democrats.
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Other Job Approvals and State Issues
- President Trump: 43% of registered voters approve of the President’s job performance, while 54% disapprove.
- Senator Dave McCormick: Voters are divided on the state’s junior Senator, with 39% approving and 35% disapproving.
- State Budget: With the state budget three months overdue, 46% of voters blame both the Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate equally for the legislative delay.
- State Economy: Only 46% of voters describe Pennsylvania’s economy as either “excellent” or “good,” while 52% describe it as “not so good” or “poor.” Furthermore, 41% of voters believe the economy has gotten worse since the President took office in January.
The poll was conducted by Quinnipiac University from September 25th – 29th, surveying 1,579 self-identified registered voters in Pennsylvania. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percentage points.
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