House Democrats have started to look for a successor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who is expected to retire after November’s midterm elections, according to The Washington Post.
”Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is the early favorite to become the next Democratic leader, but the maneuvering for power has just begun,” the Post reported.
The Post added, however, that infighting between the party’s far-left and moderate wings could play a role in replacing Pelosi.
Infighting among Democrats may potentially focus on saving President Joe Biden’s agenda, after numerous far-left measures in his Build Back Better Act were stripped out due to lack of support from the more moderate wing of the party. The bill still has not passed the Senate and could fail should the Democrats lose control of Congress in November.
Far-left Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns, stated that ”whoever it is, I hope they would adopt progressive positions and also listen to the broad caucus and build consensus.”
Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said that ”I think there was a ‘holding of power’ model that worked very well for a long time, and I think now it is more about a recognition of different centers of focus within the Democratic caucus that has to be brought in and brought together.”
But Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., said: ”I want to make sure that it is someone who can pull the party together. As Pelosi says: ‘Our diversity is our strength, and unity is our power. I want to make sure it’s someone who can hold that unity.”
