The Democratic National Convention, which starts Monday evening in Chicago, won't feature a prominent Pennsylvanian.
Sen. John Fetterman said he's skipping the event, where Kamala Harris will be formally recognized as the Democratic presidential candidate, to spend time with his family — a decision he said he made "well before" the June 27 debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump that led to Biden dropping out of the race.
MORE: First debate between Kamala Harris, Donald Trump to be held at National Constitution Center
“I’ve got three young kids, and they’re out of school,” Fetterman told the Free Press on Sunday. “That’s four days I can spend with my children.”
The Free Press reported that York County native's decision is not related to his staunchly pro-Israel views, which have made him a less popular figure among progressives. Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, he's posted photos of Israeli hostages in his office, criticized student protests and refused to call for a ceasefire. As a result, he's had frequent protesters outside his offices and once at his home in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. He's even faced criticisms from his own staffers.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was on the shortlist to be Harris' running mate before she ultimately selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will be at the DNC. Earlier this month, Politico reported that Fetterman's advisers told Harris' team that the senator was concerned about Shapiro being her pick for vice president because he was too caught up in his own political ambitions.
Fetterman isn't the only Democratic senator passing on the event. Montana's Jon Tester said he's too busy to attend because it's harvest time and he has too much work to do on his farm, NPR reported. Tester has yet to endorse Harris for president. Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Jacky Rosen (Nevada) also won't be in attendance.
