WASHINGTON — The internal Democratic Party debate between progressives and the more moderate wing of the party is raging now that Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) is publicly challenging Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to be the next Senate majority leader.
"People are hungry for change, and we're seeing a change. We have a generational shift in the Senate," Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) told Raw Story at the U.S. Capitol this week. "We're seeing a generational shift with leadership, just as we saw in the House as well, and we'll continue to."
Van Hollen pitched his hat into the Senate ring late Thursday in a move that left many in his party surprised.
No one’s announced a challenge to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in his mission to become the nation’s first Black Speaker, even as progressive petitions calling for a replacement are picking up digital steam.
After two years of babysitting MAGA bomb throwers in the House, outgoing Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) says he doesn’t envy Jeffries or Schumer.
"I've been saying for a while that those two guys are in some jeopardy. This is a radical, far-left element that's going to challenge their leadership," Johnson told Raw Story. "A harbinger of things to come for the country."
"Do you think this is going to be a big test for the party to see if they go far left or moderate a little?" Raw Story pressed.
"Yeah," Johnson replied. "The base has already made the decision for them. That's the real concern."
“We have yet to earn our mandate”
Even before Democrats posted historic victories on election night, there was tremendous upheaval in the Democratic Party.
While not a single House Democratic incumbent lost on Election Day, primary season was a different story altogether. Nationwide, Democratic voters ousted seven incumbents who had a combined 100 years of service in Congress between them.
"The American people voted for change," Vermont’s Sen. Bernie Sanders — an independent who caucuses with Democrats — wrote on X. “They want a Democratic Party that will stand up to powerful special interests, take on the billionaire class and fight for working families. That is why I am supporting Senator Chris Van Hollen to lead Senate Democrats.”
Sanders’ progressive wing of the Senate has been a lonely place for decades, but its ranks are about to grow exponentially in January. And those incoming senators are already changing the debate in Washington.
"The American public spoke clearly last week. They rejected Trumpism,” Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI) tweeted on X. “But we have yet to earn our mandate. That will require bold leadership. I called on Sen. @ChrisVanHollen to lead our caucus as a candidate back in April because he leads with courage and experience. We need both right now. Which is why I’m proud to stand with him in his bid to lead our Senate majority.”
But the soaring rhetoric of the campaign trail is not meeting the cold, hard realities of Washington.
While 56% of Democratic voters report wanting “someone else” to lead Senate Democrats in the 120th Congress, a mere 22% endorsed Schumer in a recent Progressive PAC poll.
Compare that to Senate math, where so far Schumer's locked up the support from roughly nine Senate Democrats compared to the two — El-Sayed and Bernie Sanders — publicly supporting Van Hollen.
Van Hollen only announced his challenge Thursday night, so he has time to turn the tide. But Schumer has controlled the party's agenda, helped convince strong candidates to jump into longshot races and, of course, held the party’s purse strings for years.
That’s why many of rank-and-file Democrats feel personally indebted to Schumer.
"From a political perspective, you know, Chuck raised resources, brought us all together," New Mexico Senator Lujan said. "There was a strong environment, but it's also a reflection of the character of candidates, the strength of candidates."
“I was mad at Schumer”
It’s a different story on the other side of the Capitol where newly elected progressives are dubious of Hakeem Jeffries, even as no one’s dared challenge the Democratic leader yet.
Incumbent Democrats say there’s a good reason for that: Jeffries is their ally, even as many see Schumer as a foil for the entire party.
“The Schumer one is sort of a different place," Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) told Raw Story. “You know, I was mad at Schumer about a year and a half ago — that's when they cut the deal to end the shutdown.”
Van Hollen is 67 years old, compared to Schumer’s 75, but Ivey and others say the debate isn’t necessarily about age.
"Bernie Sanders is not a spring chicken, so I don't know that the age thing works in the same way,” Ivey said. “But certainly from the standpoint of figuring out what's the best approach to take to get things done with an administration where Trump's been on the wrong track. I think he got a resounding smackdown from the voters."
Chair Emerita of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), speaks for many Democrats when it comes to the betrayal the base felt when Schumer helped end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history — 43 days — last fall.
"That's different from Jeffries in terms of, you know, we led on the shutdown fight. We led on ICE — no more ICE and CBP funding — and we had to keep pushing the Senate," Jayapal continued.
Jayapal also blames Schumer for not rallying Senate Democrats to derail any of Trump’s controversial Cabinet nominees.
"The Senate has the ability to confirm Cabinet appointments, and they didn't hold those up,” Jayapal complained. “They confirmed them all, and now they're saying, 'Oh, these Cabinet members are terrible' — well, they confirmed them, right?"
"It seems like there is a lot of angst with Schumer?” Raw Story pressed. “Even with senators who are going to hold their breath and support him.”
"Yeah," Jayapal replied. “Exactly.”
"You think it would be a big signal to the base?" Raw Story asked of the effort to oust Schumer.
"Yeah, I do. It's really important," Jayapal said. "He did not lead in the moment. He didn't meet the moment last term."
Over in the House, Jeffries is a different story.
Progressive advocates v. Capitol Hill Democrats
In January, Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become the nation’s first Black Speaker of the House of Representatives over the protests of progressives.
While some 50,000 people have digitally signed a petition at Change.org endorsing Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) to be the next Speaker — an effort she’s not a part of — more than a million people have co-signed a petition opposing Jeffries.
“We believe the Speaker should represent the Democratic voters, not just the Democratic establishment,” reads the petition spearheaded by social media influencer Nicole Whitted.
One of progressives' major complaints is that Jeffries has reportedly accepted at least $1.5 million from AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), yet even Israel’s most ardent progressive critics shrug off the effort.
“There is one candidate in this race, Hakeem Jeffries," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) told congressional reporters this week. “And I think that everyone is far more concerned about what that leadership means? What is it promising?”
As for calls for new blood? There was already a changing of the guard when Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced their retirements last year, according to veteran Democrats.
"We got new leadership. Nancy Pelosi stepped aside so we could have all young, new leadership," Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) told Raw Story. "Our older leaders all stepped aside voluntarily."
“Biggest class since Watergate"
While progressives outside of Washington are demanding new leaders, at the Capitol Democrats say there isn’t much difference between Jeffries’ priorities and the party’s base.
"We've got a very diverse caucus, but we've got some cohesion about lowering costs and health care and ending the war. So I don't think it's as big an argument as people unfamiliar with the Democratic caucus understand," Lofgren said.
"And do you think Jeffries is a good bridge?" Raw Story pressed.
"Yeah, I do. I mean, look at where we are today — biggest class since Watergate," Lofgren said. "I don't think that's a problem."
Then there’s also interpersonal skills — or lack thereof.
While Schumer maneuvers in the background — sometimes cutting deals with GOP leaders over the protests from the party's left flank — House Democrats of all stripes say even when they disagree with Jeffries, they feel seen by him.
“Do you think Jeffries will be a good bridge between the two wings of the Democratic Party?” Raw Story asked.
“Oh, yeah. Absolutely, absolutely,” Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) told Raw Story. “He listens. That's one of his best attributes — he listens.”
Schumer polls, Jeffries listens.
And the party’s left-leaning base is getting louder and louder.
"Do you think the old guard here kind of, like, disregards that angst from the base at their own peril?" Raw Story asked.
"Yes," retiring Rep. John Larson (D-CT) told Raw Story. "I think Hakeem Jeffries is going to go down as one of the great speakers of the House of Representatives."
"Why?"
"I was just telling them," Larson said while pointing to a group of people chatting outside the U.S. Capitol. "He listens. And not only that, he knows how to govern."
Under President Donald Trump, the Republican Party of old has transformed into a monotone MAGA mass that follows and adapts to Trump's ever-evolving whims.
On the other side of the aisle, as the minority party on Capitol Hill, Democrats have been largely able to stay unified in opposing Trump.
While the Democratic Party has surely become more progressive in recent years, rank-and-file members and party leaders alike haven't really been tested since Trump re-entered the White House. Moving into the majority in the New Year will surely reveal fissures that have been plastered over throughout the 119th Congress.
"And, you know, within the Democratic caucus, most of the public doesn't realize that there's 11 caucuses within the caucus," Larson said. "And [Jeffries] has got the respect of the membership," Larson said. "New people coming in have no idea about what he's doing. And while they're an important voice, they're one voice."