Why is next year’s Pa. Senate race getting so much buzz? John Fetterman is only one reason | John Baer Updated 5:30 AM; Last week, NBC News called the race for that seat “a test of progressive firepower” in a swing state in the wake of Donald Trump. This past Monday, a fourth Democrat joined the race. On Tuesday, a fourth Republican announced. It’s expected there will be larger candidate fields in primaries more than a year from now. Campaigns start too early, last too long. But growing attention to this one’s understandable. It’s different. Huge for the state, and maybe the nation.