"Don't F#*k It Up, Democrats": David Sirota on Direction of Party & Fight Over Jeffries & Schumer

With Democrats set to take control of both chambers of Congress in January, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders says he will not support Chuck Schumer for another term as the Democratic Senate leader, calling for the party to move in “a new and bold direction.” Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin has said she will not support Schumer unless he presents a plan to govern differently, and several senators-elect have called for new leadership or declined to endorse Schumer. Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen is considering challenging Schumer. Meanwhile, Hakeem Jeffries is facing questions about his leadership of House Democrats after 11 of the party’s members missed a key vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

After “a big win for the populist wing of the Democratic Party, … it would be a betrayal for that election to result immediately in the Democratic Party simply responding by reelecting the same leadership,” says David Sirota, editor-in-chief of The Lever.