A party free from the drag of its leadership
I am a Democratic voter. I have faith in Democratic candidates selected by a primary — if you make the effort and take the time to vote, the Party should respect your choice. But I have little regard for the DNC or Democratic congressional leadership. It's hard to know what they stand for. Which, ironically, may be a good thing. The Democratic Party's lack of a clear message allows individual Democratic candidates to run campaigns focused on the issues important to their local voters.
A successful campaign to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine will differ in message from a winning campaign to replace the departing Republican Senator Joni Ernst in Iowa.
This ability to run races tailored to different constituencies has allowed Democratic candidates to narrow GOP margins in bright red congressional seats. Win what were supposed to be tight elections. Flip previously GOP seats. And widen margins in Democratic precincts.
There are fundamental issues that all Democrats will run on — economic security, access to affordable healthcare, choice, civil rights etc. And issues that Democrats should run on — eg, robust progressive taxes that both close the deficit and address the extraordinary imbalance of wealth in the US. But there is no one-size-fits-all. New Yorkers want democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani — while a candidate campaigning on Mamdani's platform in Iowa would probably be uncompetitive.
Decentralization is the key to winning — especially in the midterms when there is no national candidate. Democratic candidates for various Senate races know this. They are listening to their voters and avoiding ties to an ineffectual central authority. And they have made their feelings clear. Politico reports:
From the Northeast:
In Maine, four of the Democrats running to unseat the GOP's most vulnerable senator have already pledged not to support Schumer as leader. Three other candidates refused to commit.
From the Midwest:
In Illinois, the three leading Democrats vying to succeed Schumer's retiring No. 2 say they're keeping their options open.
From farm country:
In ruby-red Iowa, where Democrats are eyeing a longer-shot flip, two of the Party's Senate candidates aren't mincing words in their objections to Schumer's leadership.
"Hell no," Nathan Sage, one of the handful of Iowa Democrats vying to replace retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst, told POLITICO when asked if he'd back Schumer for leader.
"It's about damn time he seems like he's starting to fight for us," Sage said. But, he added, "it's almost too late at this point."
[Note: Politico says "two of the party's Senate candidates aren't mincing words" but only quotes one]
And in general:
POLITICO surveyed major Democratic candidates across open Senate races and seats the Party is aiming to flip. Of the 19 who responded, none endorsed Schumer for leader. Eleven said they would not support him and eight were noncommittal, even as nearly all said they'd follow him on voting against the GOP efforts to keep the government open.
"An army of deer commanded by a lion is more to be feared than an army of lions commanded by a deer" — Chabrias (Plutarch, Sayings of Kings and Commanders)
I don't know who thought Schumer as a voice for the Party was a good idea. Chuck may have the parliamentary and consensus-building skills to make him an effective legislative leader — or not. It's hard to say when you are a minority leader. But no one is going to confuse him with a guy who can turn out the base and convert independents into Democratic voters.
Politics is vim and vigor, oratory and inspiration, passion and enthusiasm. Schumer is not that. Neither is Hakeem Jeffries. The Democrats need fighters. They are led by cautious accountants. Which is fine. Every organization needs its managers to handle the day-to-day. But they aren't the guys to convince the hesitant to pick the Democrat.
Fortunately, the calendar gives the Democrats a break. They will need to get their national act together for the 2028 presidential race. But this November and in 2026, Democratic candidates (who are not deer) will be free from ties to a PR-challenged DNC and its timorous leaders. Thus liberated, they will flourish.
