Democratic wins spark debate over party's next leaders
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, both from Brooklyn, are facing calls for change from progressive critics as the party prepares for the new Congress.
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Democrats won control of the U.S. House and Senate in the midterm elections, but debate over who should lead them is putting two New Yorkers in the spotlight.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, both from Brooklyn, are facing calls for change from progressive critics as the party prepares for the new Congress.
An online petition calling on House Democrats to choose someone other than Jeffries for speaker has gathered more than 1 million signatures. It urges lawmakers to examine his record, policy positions and campaign donors before voting.
Some incoming New York lawmakers say they will support Jeffries while others say they are still weighing their options.
Asked whether House Democrats are united behind Jeffries, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said he was the only candidate in the race, emphasizing questions about what his leadership would deliver.
"I think that everyone is far more concerned about what that leadership means, it is promising, what it seeks to deliver," she said.
In the Senate, Vermont independent Bernie Sanders says he will not support Schumer’s reelection as Democratic leader.
“I personally have known Chuck Schumer for over 30 years, and I like Chuck,” Sanders said. “Nobody who works harder than Chuck Schumer. But in my view, the time is now for change.”
Members of the House will elect a speaker when the new Congress convenes in January, while Senate Democrats choose their party leader separately.
