Democratic lawmakers are finding a new source of frustration: having to answer for their leaders’ hometown politics.
Tensions over Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries’ refusal to endorse Zohran Mamdani spilled out into the open over the weekend, when Sen. Chris Van Hollen called out the leaders on stage in Iowa for not backing New York City’s Democratic nominee for mayor — and when Jeffries’ office clapped back with a “Chris Van who?”
For some Democrats, the feeling was that this round of intraparty fighting could have been avoided if there were more geographic diversity in leadership.
“It’s pretty obvious that it puts more of a spotlight,” Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton told NOTUS of Senate Minority Leader Schumer and House Minority Leader Jeffries both being from New York City.
While Moulton and many of his colleagues told NOTUS they do not regret their vote for Jeffries as leader, several Democratic lawmakers and aides said they are feeling particular pressure to field media questions about their stance on New York City’s race. And, as lawmakers try to distance themselves from any perceptions of coastal elitism, the party’s constant association with New York City is beginning to grate.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani over the weekend, igniting a fresh round of scrutiny of Schumer’s and Jeffries’ lack of endorsements and irritating many Democrats.
“I don’t care how they resolve it. Disavow Mamdani, convince Mamdani to move into the mainstream, whatever,” a senior Democratic aide told NOTUS.
“But this ‘will they or won’t they endorse him’ routine has got to stop,” the aide continued. “It’s driving everybody nuts, it’s a distraction for the whole party from coast to coast, and it’s making the entire Democratic Party appear to revolve around New York City. You’ve got to keep your own yard clean if you want to be the block captain.”
Schumer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I haven’t had a conversation with any member of Congress who’s expressed frustration to me as it relates to the New York City mayoral race,” Jeffries told reporters at a Tuesday press conference.
Even if some Democrats don’t blame Schumer and Jeffries for the Mamdani news cycle on Capitol Hill, plenty of Democratic lawmakers told NOTUS they see room for regional diversity in leadership.
“It gives one particular lens on the country,” Vermont Rep. Becca Balint told NOTUS, of Schumer and Jeffries both being from New York City.
“The center of gravity in New York is Wall Street,” she continued. “And so I do think when you have two leaders whose frame is absolutely impacted by that center of gravity, then we are absolutely missing other voices from around the country that are important for us in building a winning coalition.”
Democratic angst about congressional leadership overrepresenting major coastal cities isn’t new. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced criticism throughout her tenure for being a “San Francisco radical.”
Last year, Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig highlighted in her campaign to be the top Democrat on the Agriculture Committee that lawmakers from major coastal cities were overrepresented in leadership.
“One of the points that I made to my colleagues is that we had very few leaders in the Midwest,” Craig told NOTUS Tuesday. “So I do believe in regional diversity in leadership. I think you know that’s important. At the same time, the Senate decides who leads them, and we decide who leads us.”
When asked about Schumer and Jeffries being from the same city, other midwestern Democrats told NOTUS that they agree that more states should be represented in leadership.
“I do think the heartland needs to get more attention than it does,” Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell told NOTUS Tuesday.
“As for leadership, I’m a big fan of diversity in all aspects of geography,” Ohio Rep. Greg Landsman told NOTUS. “So I try to be as loud as a Midwesterner as I possibly can.”
Several Democratic lawmakers were also willing to cut Schumer and Jeffries some slack, calling the New Yorkers’ rise to power a coincidence that doesn’t seriously disrupt the party’s agenda. A few Democrats expressed sympathy for Schumer and Jeffries having to balance the demands of their party while also navigating local politics at home.
“It’s like when you get to the Super Bowl and you’re Archie Manning — one of the great quarterbacks of all time — and you get two sons in the Super Bowl playing each other, sometimes life just conspires,” Rep. Brad Schneider, who chairs the centrist New Democrat Coalition, told NOTUS.
Of course, it’s not just a coincidence. As Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia pointed out, state delegations often vote as a bloc in leadership elections, giving populous states like New York and California an edge.
He offered his own solution.
“They should both be from Virginia,” Beyer said.
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This story was produced as part of a partnership between NOTUS and The City.
Correction: This article has been updated to correct Rep. Seth Moulton’s home state. He is from Massachusetts.