The elected leadership of the Democratic Party isn’t fiery enough to oppose the threat of President Trump’s administration, according to several candidates running nationwide in key races, as well as a large swath of the party’s voters. The key targets for their ire have been House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Chuck Schumer, particularly as Trump has mocked them since his return.
Currently, the list of challengers are younger, like progressive influencer Kat Abughazaleh who is running to succeed retiring Illinois representative Jan Schakowsky. “You need to show the people that you’re angry — and not just that you’re angry, that you’re going to do something about it,” she said to Axios.
That was echoed by attorney Patrick Roath, who is challenging Massachusetts Representative Stephen Lynch. “People are angry, they are frustrated, they are deeply dismayed by what they are seeing, of course by the Trump administration, but honestly a lot is a profound disappointment with the Democrats,” he said.
The pressure of the current government shutdown, now in its third week, is also applying pressure on the established Democratic leadership. Jeffries has gained staunch support among Democrats in the House of Representatives for not being willing to move away from their demands for healthcare to be preserved from cuts by Republicans and Donald Trump. Schumer reportedly floated a stopgap bill to reopen the government, drawing criticism and prompting him to reverse course.
That kind of conciliatory move with a Republican administration that has demonstrated their unwillingness to care is not one these candidates look to employ. “I am not a ‘when they go low, we go high’ [person]. I’m not that kind of girl,” said Texas state representative Jolanda Jones, one of the Texas Democrats who took a stand against GOP gerrymandering in the state earlier this year. “If they go low, I’m going to the gutter.”
Despite the support in the House, Jeffries has faced reports that some might not back his bid to be Speaker should Democrats regain control of that body of Congress. Schumer, who isn’t up for re-election until 2028, has less room to maneuver as several members of the Senate are up for re-election next year, including some vulnerable seats.
—
Photo: Getty
