Democrats are at their most divided moment in recent memory, causing headaches for Democratic leaders in Congress who are trying to mount a response to President Donald Trump.
The returning commander-in-chief won a decisive victory in November.
But many have observed that the Democrats do not have a clear national figurehead or platform from which they can oppose his agenda.
There is a significant internal divide on how to navigate the next few years.
According to a Tuesday report from The Wall Street Journal, some Democrats want Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, currently the most powerful member of their coalition in the federal government, to take a more aggressive approach toward Trump.
Others, however, are urging more caution, meaning that Schumer is being pulled in two different directions.
Schumer recently took a call from several Democratic governors who urged him not to tolerate Democrats voting for Trump nominees.
He told the Journal that “some of my caucus didn’t want to do that,” but he agreed with the governors and said he would “urge people to vote no on every nominee, and we’re going to work hard.”
Even as Schumer tries to produce a response, with Trump’s nominees who have been voted on receiving confirmation thus far as the nation approaches the second month of Trump’s new administration, the Democrats are still having trouble overcoming their internal divisions about November.
Is the Democratic Party currently at its weakest point of the 21st century?
Some say that the party needs to fix its brand with white working class people and address diminishing support among minorities. Others meanwhile argue that certain swing state contests were close and that there is no need to revamp the party.
Washington Democratic Rep. Adam Smith told the Journal, “Our brand is toxic in many of the places that we need to win, swing states, swing districts.”
He added, “Our coalition is fundamentally broken because of the distance between the far left and the rest of the coalition.”
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, much like Schumer, is trying to rally his troops and deal with internal divisions.
He recently sent a letter to his colleagues vowing to use upcoming funding deadlines as leverage to attain certain Democratic priorities.
Jeffries is also trying to mobilize candidates to run for the House in 2026, noting that the Democrats came within three seats of a majority.
Democratic Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz told the Journal, “We’re in the middle of a hurricane.” However, he believes Jeffries is doing well under the circumstances.
“Right now, we’re getting ourselves organized,” Moskowitz said.
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