John Fetterman rips James Carville over court-packing plan, tells Democrats to ‘win more elections’

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman is breaking with veteran party strategist James Carville, arguing that Democrats should “win more elections” rather than change the rules. His remarks come as a response to Carville’s recent calls to pack the Supreme Court and confront the party’s “identity left.”

“I strongly rejected trying to pack the Supreme Court or to change those things,” Fetterman said on “Saturday in America.”

“When I ran for the Senate back in the ‘21, ’22, I rejected those things,” he added.

Sen. John Fetterman departs the Senate Chamber following a series of votes at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 1. The session came as Republicans debated their strategy for the government shutdown, weighing spending cuts and political risks. (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The difference in opinion between Carville and Fetterman underscores a growing divide within the Democratic Party between reformers and moderates who want to maintain existing institutions.

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Earlier this month, Carville appeared on “Saturday in America” and voiced support for adding four liberal justices to the Supreme Court if Democrats retake the White House in 2028, saying the party should consider expanding the court to 13 justices.

Carville has previously said of Fetterman: “If John Fetterman is the smartest person in the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party is in really, really, really deep trouble. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Politicon)

“This is the lowest the Supreme Court has been rated, and if you believe, as I do, that we need faith in not just the executive or the congressional branch of government, but the Supreme Court,” Carville said. “And it is not written anywhere in the Constitution that you have to have nine [justices]. That’s just a number they came up with.”

The Democratic strategist argued that increasing the number of justices would be the fastest way to “get some balance on the court.”

During that Nov. 15 “Saturday in America” appearance, Carville responded to the idea that Fetterman is a top Democratic talent, saying, “If John Fetterman is the smartest person in the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party is in really, really, really deep trouble. Really deep trouble.” 

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Sen. John Fetterman participates in a debate on June 2 in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

But Fetterman disagreed, saying the party shouldn’t rewrite longstanding rules for short-term political gain.

“We were the Democrats,” he said.

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“It’s like, you don’t change the rules if you didn’t win. It’s, like, ‘Win more elections,’ and then you are able to change those dynamics the way it was designed to be in the Constitution right now.”

Fetterman has repeatedly positioned himself as one of the party’s more moderate voices, breaking from Democrats on the record-shattering government shutdown and condemning socialism despite recent wins in places like New York City.