02.13.25

Senate Democrats: Dejected, Divided, and In Disarray

As Americans Endorse the Trump Agenda, Democrats Remain Rudderless and Historically Unpopular - While Stoking the Flames of a Government Shutdown

“DEMOCRATS ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND THEIR WAY”

  • “Three weeks into the second Trump term, Democrats are struggling to find their way.” (The Wall Street Journal: Democrats in Disarray as Trump Pushes Through Agenda – 2/11/25)
  • “It’s no secret that Democrats are adrift — dare we say ‘in disarray’ — as a party right now.”
    • “But really, the party is just reflecting its base right now. Democratic officials are dispirited just like their base is despondent. To the extent they don’t seem to have much fight in them, that shouldn’t be too surprising; their voters don’t, either.” (The Washington Post: Here’s how dejected the Democrats really are – 2/11/25)
  • “Still reeling from its loss in November, the party has found little consensus on a message or direction. Frustrations abound with Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries…” (The Wall Street Journal: Democrats in Disarray as Trump Pushes Through Agenda – 2/11/25)
  • Democrats are “[w]ithout an obvious leader to counter Trump’s early return to power…”
    • “The search for Democratic leadership is just starting to take shape as the party debates why they got wiped out so badly in the 2024 election cycle.” (The Hill: Murphy looks to be guiding force for Democrats in new Trump era – 2/11/25)
  • “‘We’re obviously in a bit of disarray,’ one Democratic senator told Semafor. ‘I don’t think people are really completely sure about what lesson is to be learned in this election.’” (Semafor: ‘Give us a little time’: Democrats search for a guiding principle against Trump – 1/23/25)

ONE REASON FOR DEMOCRATS’ MALAISE: AMERICANS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S AGENDA AND FED UP WITH DEMOCRATS

  • “The early days of the second Donald Trump era in Washington is a trying time for Democrats, especially party leaders. Democrats are out of power, Trump is dominating the airwaves and his polls are good.” (Punchbowl News AM: A deep-dive on Dems: Is the leadership doing enough? – 2/11/25)
  • According to a CBS News/YouGov poll, 53% of Americans approve of the job President Trump is doing. (CBS News: CBS News/YouGov poll – 2/9/25)
  • “With most describing him as ‘tough,’ [69%] ‘energetic,’ [63%] ‘focused’ [60%] and ‘effective’ [58%] — and as doing what he'd promised during his campaign — President Trump has started his term with net positive marks from Americans overall.” (CBS News: CBS News/YouGov poll – 2/9/25)
  • “Many say he's doing more than they expected — and of those who say this, most like what they see. Very few think he's doing less.” (CBS News: CBS News/YouGov poll – 2/9/25)
  • “In fact, the same CBS poll found that 68 percent of voters thought the Trump administration is doing the ‘right amount’ or even ‘not enough’ spending cuts; only 32 percent said ‘too much.’” (Politico: The Shutdown Fight That Could Play Right Into Trump’s Hands – 2/10/25)
  • “His deportation policy finds majority approval [59%] overall — just as most voters said they wanted during the campaign…” (CBS News: CBS News/YouGov poll – 2/9/25)
  • Meanwhile, 57% of voters have an unfavorable view of the Democrat party, marking “the highest percentage of voters” with “an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking this question.” (Quinnipiac University Poll – 1/29/25)
  • Of Democrat-leaning voters, 58% say the party needs either “major changes” or to “be completely reformed.” (The Washington Post: Democrats’ brutal poll problem – 1/29/25; CNN/SSRS Poll – 1/19/25)

LOST AND UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE FAR LEFT, DEMOCRATS ARE SIGNALING THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PLUNGE THE COUNTRY INTO A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  • “Democratic governors used a private phone call with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to push him to be tougher on President Trump. A text thread with current and former elected officials is blowing up with frustration. Lawmakers disagree on the political lessons from the election.” (The Wall Street Journal: Democrats in Disarray as Trump Pushes Through Agenda – 2/11/25)
  • “A closed-door meeting for House Democrats yesterday included a gripe-fest directed at liberal grassroots organizations, sources tell Axios,” complaining that liberal groups “have facilitated thousands of calls to members’ offices.” (Axios: Scoop: Dems "pissed" at liberal groups MoveOn, Indivisible – 2/11/25)
  • “The March 14 government funding deadline is becoming a crucial test of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) toughness in the opposition.” (Axios: The big bet behind Chuck Schumer's shutdown warning – 2/10/25)
  • The co-founder of the far-left group Indivisible said, “Our supporters are asking Democrats to demand specific red lines are met before they offer their vote to House Republicans on the budget…” (Axios: Scoop: Dems "pissed" at liberal groups MoveOn, Indivisible – 2/11/25)
  • “Some Democrats have begun talking about withholding votes on a spending deal as leverage, even if it shuts down the government, when the next deadline comes up in mid-March.” (The Wall Street Journal: Democrats in Disarray as Trump Pushes Through Agenda – 2/11/25)
  • “Democrats would be embracing a tactic they’ve long shunned: holding the government hostage until they get what they want.” (Politico: The Shutdown Fight That Could Play Right Into Trump’s Hands – 2/10/25)
  • Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he could “see where it could happen in this situation.” (The Hill: Democrats step up talk about using shutdown as leverage against Trump – 2/11/25)
  • “Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), speaking on CNN, said ‘Democrats will use every tool possible…’” (The Hill: Schumer warns of ‘Trump shutdown,’ lays out 4-pronged plan for Democrats – 2/10/35)
  • “New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim alluded to a potential government shutdown,” saying Republicans “have, for the last two years, needed Democratic votes for every single continuing resolution, and they should not count on that this time…” (Politico: Amid ‘lawlessness,’ GOP can’t count on Democratic votes, Andy Kim says, – 2/9/25)