Sen. John Fetterman, who said he was shamed into being more present, amped up his travel in Pa. this week

Typically, a Pennsylvania senator spending his recess away from Congress meeting with constituents isn’t exactly noteworthy.

But for Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.), who has faced recent scrutiny for his lack of public appearances in the state and criticism over a lackadaisical commitment to his job, the schedule he kept over the last few days was a marked change.

Fetterman was in Johnstown on Friday, posing for a camera in his signature Carhartt hoodie with two thumbs up alongside people attending the Showcase for Commerce, a manufacturers and business trade show.

“Pennsylvania businesses, contractors and union workers all play a crucial role in our national defense,” Fetterman said in an X post with photos of the event. “Proud to be here recognizing their work.”

The day before, Fetterman posted photos of cows in Mercer County as he met with dairy farmers there. “PA farmers make our commonwealth great and I’m proud to continue to support them,” he wrote.

And Fetterman, showcasing his bipartisanship, also participated in an event with HUD Secretary Scott Turner in Erie on Thursday. “Revitalizing communities isn’t a (red) or a (blue) issue,” he wrote of the meeting.

Before this week, Fetterman had attended only one public event, according to his social media, in the state all year: a visit to the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January.

The recent public appearances follow a grueling few weeks of media attention for the first-term senator, starting with a report in New York Magazine that questioned Fetterman’s mental health and his desire to do the job. Former staffers described to The Inquirer an absentee senator and one progressive group, frustrated by his record and inaccessibility, called for his resignation.

» READ MORE: Inside Sen. John Fetterman’s office: canceled meetings, skipped votes and an outburst with Pa. teachers

Following those reports, Fetterman told the New York Times the reporting had begrudgingly shamed him into better attendance at procedural votes and committee hearings. He said he thought sharing his struggles with depression two years ago had been “weaponized” against him.

In recent weeks, Fetterman has certainly been more present on and off Capitol Hill. At a Senate hearing earlier this month, he questioned Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem about Afghanis who no longer qualify for refugee status. He told the story of a constituent from Philadelphia who served alongside American troops in Afghanistan, but couldn’t get approved for a green card after President Donald Trump ordered a halt on the nation’s refugee-admissions program. The man’s brothers, who are in Pakistan, are now also unable to join him, Fetterman said.

» READ MORE: Trump’s halt on refugees leaves Pa. families fearful for loved ones overseas: ‘There is no hope’

“They face torture and death ... they’ve saved American lives and they have defended our forces,” Fetterman said in the hearing. “... Not all immigration is about securing our borders but it’s about helping people that deserve to come to our nation.”

On Monday, Fetterman is slated to participate in a conversation with his Senate counterpart, Republican Sen. Dave McCormick, in Boston, which will be televised by Fox News.

As Fetterman has been more visible in his day-to-day job, the media and constituent scrutiny around him has somewhat abated. But there are still simmering signs of discontent which could come to a head when he is up for reelection in 2028.

And at least one group is actively trying to take the temperature of Pennsylvania voters.

Forward Blue, a Democratic PAC, commissioned a survey obtained by The Inquirer, asking Pennsylvania voters if they approve or disapprove of Fetterman’s handling of his job, how likely they are to vote for him against a Republican candidate, and how likely they would be to vote for Fetterman’s primary challenger.

The PAC did not respond to questions about the poll, which some people received this week.

Forward Blue was founded by David Austin, a 21-year-old organizer from Somers Point, N.J., who launched the PAC in 2024 with the goal of reaching Gen-Z voters. Austin got his political start volunteering for Fetterman’s 2022 Senate campaign which he later joined as a staffer, according to a Forbes article about Austin’s success as an organizer.

The PAC raised $18 million last year to elect former Vice President Kamala Harris and describes itself as seeking ways to change and improve the way Democratic campaigns are run.

While Fetterman more than quadrupled his constituent visits for the year this week, his travel was concentrated in the western part of the state. The Western Pennsylvania resident hasn’t done any public events in Philadelphia since becoming a senator, except to attend campaign events in the city for Harris.

During a lunchtime gathering of Philadelphia Democratic elected officials on primary election day this month, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said she’d found Fetterman and his staff to be accessible, even if he doesn’t spend much time in the city.

“We all work together,” Parker said. “I’ve been working in politics for a long time, so I’m jaded. I don’t believe what people in politics say. I watch what they do.” She noted Fetterman reached out after the Northeast Philadelphia plane crash, which she appreciated.

Other elected leaders at the luncheon expressed frustration with the senator’s absence from the state’s largest city.

“For me, I’m very disappointed in what I’m seeing from him,” City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas said. “I don’t think we should keep biting our tongue for somebody who’s not fighting for us,” Thomas continued. “I’m not big on political division, but at the end of the day, he cast the first stone. He continues to by not coming to Philly and by ignoring what we feel like is what needs to be done for the best interest of our city.”

Fetterman did not respond to requests for comment about his recent travel.

State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, a frequent critic of Fetterman, also lamented the lack of the senator’s visits to Philadelphia. “I still think that one of the most loyal bases in the Democratic Party, people of color, African Americans in particular, are being overlooked, starting with him,” Williams said.

Sen. Sharif Street, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party chair, said the party continues to support Fetterman, who, Street said, is the best judge of his own health. Street also said he thinks “the public has a right to express concerns about any elected official.”

As for visiting Philadelphia?

“I’d love to see him in Philadelphia more,” Street said cracking a smile. “He’s a great guy. We’d love to have him come hang out with us.”