The Democratic leadership revolt has a glaring problem
· axios.com · popularity 34/100 · 0 similar stories today · Politics & Government (Politics & Government)
Read the original at axios.com →
Summary
The Republican leadership fights are over. For Democrats, the pain has only just begun. Why it matters: All the talk about changing party leadership is empty if no one steps up to run. Senate Republicans demanded more time and deeper conversations about their leadership, but no one stepped forward to challenge John Thune, who won by acclamation. Democrats are demanding their own conversations about the party's future and the leadership of Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. Neither has a challenger. ‼️ The intrigue: Where there was a contested leadership fight, the challenger won. Rep. Jim Jordan, the Freedom Caucus founding member who spent years tormenting Republican leaders, will now lead the battered House GOP after defeating 12-year leadership veteran Rep. Steve Scalise by 33 votes. Jordan is the kind of fighter House Republicans want to take on Democrats as they enter the minority, lawmakers told Axios. "We're gearing up for war. And you're talking to a guy who's known as a hammer. You know we need someone who can punch hard, and I think that he'll do that," Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) told Axios. 🤺 Zoom in: No such fighter has emerged to challenge Democratic leaders from within their ranks, and Schumer said he is "confident I will be elected majority leader." The closest thing to a challenge is Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who's listening to calls to run for Democratic leader while also considering a presidential campaign. It's hard to do both. Meanwhile, opposition to Schumer is building: " [T]he time is now for change," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Tuesday. He appeared with Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who said she's not "actively seeking the job" but demanded a plan for change. 🏛️ Over in the House, Jeffries is dismissive of the idea that anyone would challenge him after the midterms gave him a massive majority. "You think I don't have the vote nailed down? I guess we'll find out next Wednesday," he told reporters on Monday. Some of his new members are signaling that they're not afraid to defy their new leaders. Rep.-elect Don Leonard (D-Ohio) said it "aches" his heart to potentially oppose the first Black speaker, "but Rome is burning." But other new members are on Jeffries' side, like Reps.-elect Marni von Wilpert (D-Calif.), Denise Powell (D-Neb.) and Cait Conley (D-N.Y.). 🤝 Jeffries also has high-profile progressive incumbents on board, such as Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). "There is one candidate in this race , Hakeem Jeffries, and I think that everyone is far more concerned about what that leadership means, what is it promising?" Ocasio-Cortez told reporters on Tuesday. Between the lines: Thune and Jordan don't have much of a relationship; Thune had left the House for the Senate two years before Jordan arrived. What's next: Senators say they plan to be in the Capitol working on Veterans Day. Thune committed to working more days during the lame-duck session to ensure they leave no judge appointments behind, senators said.
Found in: Axios. Rating basis: single outlet; outlet tier 4; 1 feeds; feed position 1.