The Democratic Party‘s biggest problem may be itself and the policies it embraces, rather than its leadership, said the Washington Examiner’s Joe Concha.
Many Democratic lawmakers are focusing their criticism on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in the wake of the government shutdown, which ended shortly after eight senators joined most Republicans to vote on a short-term funding extension. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said Schumer’s handling of the Senate showdown is the “last straw” for his leadership, adding that the senator doesn’t “inspire confidence” nor did he endorse New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani prior to the election.
Concha said Khanna and other Democrats wanted the shutdown to go on “into perpetuity” if they had their way. He added that the party’s problem isn’t “necessarily” Schumer, but rather how it is “openly embracing socialism.”
“Ro Khanna said that Zohran Mamdani is one of those young, fresh faces of the Democratic Party. This is a pro-jihadist, antisemitic socialist who wants to raise $800 million in taxes to pay for free buses and wants to use even more taxpayer dollars to open up government-run supermarkets, which has basically failed almost everywhere it’s been tried,” Concha said on Fox Business’s Varney & Co on Monday.
“So this is not a party that’s actually interested in governing, Stu, but in expanding government, and therefore its own power and nothing more,” Concha said.
Concha concluded by saying Schumer may have saved the party by not prolonging the government shutdown.
TRUMP SAYS MAMDANI WANTS TO MEET IN PERSON IN WASHINGTON
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said Nov. 5 that “of course” Mamdani is a leader in the Democratic Party, and encouraged the party to use Mamdani’s platform in the 2026 midterm election cycle. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has said Mamdani, along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), are frontrunners for the Democratic Party’s 2028 nominations.
The Washington Examiner‘s Byron York said Monday there is a “fundamental divide” among Democratic senators, pitting “progressive Democrats” against “everybody else.” He added that a “healthy, happy party” doesn’t try and replace its minority leader.
