Senator John Fetterman and Republican Dave McCormick jointly organized Pennsylvania's booth at "The Great American State Fair" in Washington, D.C. after Governor Josh Shapiro said state officials failed to secure a private business sponsor for the exhibit.
McCormick's office announced the bipartisan effort in a Saturday press release. The move came after Shapiro's administration reported difficulty finding a corporate partner willing to underwrite the booth's costs. Rather than leave Pennsylvania unrepresented at the event, the two senators stepped in to fill the gap themselves.
The decision reflects an unusual moment of cooperation between Fetterman, a Democrat first elected in 2022, and McCormick, who narrowly lost his 2024 Senate bid to Democrat Bob Casey. Both senators represent Pennsylvania in Congress, though they ran against each other just months earlier. McCormick, a former hedge fund executive and Trump-backed candidate, lost to Casey in a closely watched race that national Republicans had targeted as a pickup opportunity.
The state fair booth represents a routine promotional opportunity for states to showcase their products, businesses, and culture to federal officials and visitors in the nation's capital. Shapiro's inability to find corporate sponsorship highlighted the challenges some states face in funding such activities, particularly when business interests prove hesitant to commit resources.
The bipartisan effort underscores how senators from the same state often collaborate on parochial interests regardless of party affiliation. Pennsylvania's representation at the event now depends on the two lawmakers' direct involvement rather than on corporate backing or state administrative resources.
This incident occurred within months of McCormick's electoral defeat. Despite his loss to Casey, McCormick has remained active in Pennsylvania politics and retained his position as a prominent Republican figure in the state. Fetterman, meanwhile, continues his tenure after a 2022 victory that helped Democrats maintain Senate control despite challenging midterm conditions