Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is emerging as one of the Senate’s most frustrating Democrats, not because he wields power like a swing vote, but because he refuses to use it at all.

Since joining the Senate in 2023, Fetterman has, at times, embraced the characteristics of the political mavericks who came before him, such as Democrats-turned-independents Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Yet, unlike the middle-of-the-road duo, Fetterman does not wield his would-be leverage to score policy wins.