Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman has become a rogue figure in recent years by adopting positions which are at odds with those held by many in his party.

That fact was on display again this week when Fetterman told other Democrats to stop screeching about President-elect Donald Trump.

Pearl clutching won't help Democrats win

According to NBC News, Fetterman first articulated that message when he spoke with podcast host Joe Rogan just prior to Election Day.

The Pennsylvania lawmaker later reiterated that same message this past Friday during a post-election interview with NBC News.

New: Interviewed Sen. Fetterman, who says Dems need to stop "freaking out" about everything Trump does

Adds Dems spoke on this at this week's caucus lunch

"Clutch those pearls harder and scold louder, that’s not going to win," he saidhttps://t.co/KU7YFJvuqo

— Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) November 15, 2024

"I've said this before, it’s like, clutch those pearls harder and scold louder — that's not going to win. And that's been demonstrated in this cycle," Fetterman was quoted as saying.

Senator says moderates pay a price for rhetoric from progressives

"If you're already exhausted, freaking out, and it's not even Thanksgiving, then you really ought to pace yourselves. Because he hasn't even been inaugurated yet," Fetterman cautioned.

"So you really have to chill out, and you’re going to have to be more discerning or [discriminating] on what's going to freak you out or what's just trolling. Because it's not the weather, it's the climate now for the next four years," he warned.

Fetterman also complained that center-left Democrats in swing states have paid a price for the radical stances taken by their progressive counterparts.

"It's not even what you might say as a candidate," Fetterman explained. "It might be...our colleagues from your deep-blue districts will say those kinds of things, and then it's like they weaponize that, and they use that against you."

"For all of the very hard-left, kind of 'woke' things [Republicans] loaded up into the clips … are unloaded on the backs of all of us in purple states, and we’re paying for all of the things that our colleagues might say in these hard blue kinds of districts," he stressed.

Fetterman: Voters aren't racist for wanting a secure border

The senator pointed to border security as an example of this phenomenon, saying, "I knew the border was going to be a real issue for our party."

"Wanting a secure border and realizing that it was out of control, that doesn’t mean you’re a xenophobe or you’re racist or anything. It’s just, we need a secure border," he insisted.

Semafor reported that a post-election survey from the Democratic polling firm Blueprint found that Trump enjoyed considerably more trust than Vice President Kamala Harris on the issue of border security.