Incoming House Dems prove unusually willing to defy leaders
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Reps.-elect Darializa Avila Chevalier and Chris Rabb walk to the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 10. Photo: Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images
House Democrats' incoming freshman class is barely a week old and already threatening to defy party leaders in ways most of their incumbent colleagues wouldn't dare.
Why it matters: It's a dynamic House leaders may have to learn to live with as they integrate a massive group of new members who were swept into office on a wave of populist, anti-establishment anger.
- "My class is huge not because of ... the Democratic Party and its brand but despite it," said Rep.-elect Don Leonard (D-Ohio). "Many of us are outsiders who didn't come up through the machine, don't buy into the conventions."
- Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Greg Casar (D-Texas) told Axios: "Any members that are new and have just run their elections are going to be very close to where the voters are, and we know the voters are very upset."
State of play: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is on track to become speaker, in part thanks to his rock-solid support among sitting House Democrats.
- His supporters include high-profile progressives such as Casar and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).
- "There is one candidate in this race, Hakeem Jeffries, and I think that everyone is far more concerned about what that leadership means, what is it promising," Ocasio-Cortez told reporters on Tuesday.
Things get more spotty when gauging Jeffries' support among incoming freshmen, some of whom have openly declined to commit to supporting his leadership.
- That includes members of the informal progressive "Bloc," including Reps.-elect Darializa Avila Chevalier (D-N.Y.), Melat Kiros (D-Colo.), Claire Valdez (D-N.Y.), Adam Hamawy (D-N.J.) and Chris Rabb (D-Pa.).
- "As far as I've heard, Jeffries is the only one running," said progressive Rep.-elect Randy Villegas (D-Calif.). "But ... I think we need to see some prioritization of some legislation, particularly around health care, foreign policy and immigration."
- Some incoming and sitting House Democrats have been flooded with calls and emails urging them not to elect Jeffries speaker, Axios previously reported.
The intrigue: It's not just progressives hesitating to throw their full-throated support behind Jeffries. The list also includes some moderates in districts President Trump carried by double digits in 2024.
- Said Rep.-elect Teresa Benitez-Thompson (D-Nev.), a member of the center-left New Democrat Coalition: "I just won a district that went for Trump two years ago by 14%. … I've got to turn around and show that we're making change."
- "For anyone running for speaker, that's my message back to them," she added. "It's much more about, like, what can you do for Nevada?"
- "I'd like to see who's on the ballot," said Rep.-elect Jake Johnson (D-Minn.), a member of both the New Dems and the centrist Blue Dogs. "Until I've had an opportunity to chat, until I've had an opportunity to see who's out there, I'm not making any decisions."
Yes, but: Plenty of freshmen are supporting Jeffries as well.
- Well-represented in that contingent are incoming members who ran in marquee races with substantial backing from House Democrats' campaign apparatus, including Reps.-elect Marni von Wilpert (D-Calif.), Manny Rutinel (D-Colo.), Denise Powell (D-Neb.), Cait Conley (D-N.Y.) and Rebecca Bennett (D-N.J.).
- Rep.-elect Zack Mullock (D-N.J.), who didn't have support from the national party, told Axios he is "not making many big splashes" as a new member: "You're going to have pretty strong support for Hakeem, and I'll be part of that support."
Zoom in: Several members, such as Leonard and Rep.-elect Richard Ojeda (D-N.C.), have said they want to see Jeffries commit to a ban on corporate PACs as a prerequisite for voting for him.
- "We need a 28th Amendment in the year 2028 or before to shut down Elon Musk and corporate money and Israeli lobby money, for that matter," Leonard said.
- Said Ojeda: "I have hard lines: I want to make sure that we are making sure we are getting big money out of politics. It's time for us to stop allowing the billionaire class to buy our elections."
The bottom line: Leonard said it "aches" his heart to potentially oppose the first Black speaker of the House, but that "Rome is burning."
- The Ohio Democrat said he needs to be able to tell his districts "the leader shares our sense of urgency for transformational change and is willing to take the size of his caucus and take it for a spin."
