Latest news with #RandiWeingarten
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Democrats want new leaders, focus on pocketbook issues, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
By James Oliphant and Jason Lange WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democrats want new leaders for their party, which many feel isn't focusing enough on economic issues and is over-emphasizing issues like transgender rights and electric vehicles, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The poll identified a deep disconnect between what Democrats say their priorities are and the issues they believe party leaders care about most ahead of next year's midterm elections, when they hope to crack Republican control of Congress. They see their elected officials as not focused on helping families make ends meet and reducing corporate influence. Democrat Kamala Harris' November loss to Republican Donald Trump has left the party rudderless and sparked a round of soul-searching about the path forward. The poll shows that party leaders have work to do in recruiting candidates for Congress in 2026 -- and for the White House in 2028. Some 62% of self-identified Democrats in the poll agreed with a statement that "the leadership of the Democratic Party should be replaced with new people." Only 24% disagreed and the rest said they weren't sure or didn't answer. Just 30% of Republicans polled said they thought their party leadership should be replaced. Democrats' dissatisfaction is also playing out in leadership changes, including this week's resignation of Randi Weingarten, the influential president of the American Federation of Teachers, from the Democratic National Committee -- which followed the ouster of progressive activist David Hogg. The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 4,258 people nationwide and online June 11 through 16, including 1,293 Democrats. It had a margin of error of about 3 percentage points for Democrats. It found that Democrats want the party to focus on their day-to-day needs and want wealthier Americans to pay more in taxes. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is viewed as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, agrees. "People don't trust us, they don't think we have their backs on issues that are core to them, which are these kitchen table issues," Newsom said on his podcast in April. DEMOCRATS 'IMPATIENT' Democratic strategists who reviewed the poll's findings said they send a clear message. "Voters are very impatient right now," said Mark Riddle, who heads Future Majority, a Democratic research firm. "They want elected officials at all levels to address the cost of living, kitchen-table issues and affordability." The poll found a gap between what voters say they care about and what they think the party's leaders prioritize. It was particularly wide on the issue of reducing corporate spending in political campaigns, where 73% of Democrats said they viewed putting limits on contributions to political groups like Super PACs a priority, but only 58% believed party leaders prioritize that. That issue matters to Sam Boland, 29, a Democrat in Minneapolis, who views Super PAC money as a way to 'legally bribe' candidates. 'Politicians want to keep their jobs and are afraid of the impact that publicly funded elections might have,' Boland said. Along that line, 86% of Democrats said changing the federal tax code so wealthy Americans and large corporations pay more in taxes should be a priority, more than the 72% of those surveyed think party leaders make it a top concern. The Republican-controlled Congress is currently pushing forward with Trump's sweeping tax-cut bill that would provide greater benefits to the wealthy than working-class Americans. Anthony Rentsch, 29, of Baltimore, said he believes Democratic leaders are afraid to embrace more progressive policies such as higher taxes on the wealthy. 'A lot of Trump's success has been with populist messages, and I think there's similar populist message Democrats can have,' Rentsch said. Democrats' own priorities appeared more in line with party leaders on abortion rights - which 77% cited as a priority. NEW BLOOD Dissatisfaction over the party's priorities on several economic policies was stronger among younger Democrats like Boland and Rentsch. For example, only 55% of Democrats aged 18-39 thought the party prioritized paid family leave that would allow workers to care for sick family members and bond with a new baby, but 73% said it was a priority for them. Among older Democrats, the same share - 68% - that said the issue was a priority for them said it was a priority for party leaders. Rentsch said that criticizing Trump over his conduct won't be enough to win over skeptical voters. 'That can't be it,' Rentsch said. 'It has to be owning those issues that have an impact on their economic well-being and their physical and mental well-being.' Democratic respondents said the party should be doing more to promote affordable childcare, reduce the price of prescription drugs, make health insurance more readily available and support mass transit. They view party leaders as less passionate about those issues than they are, the poll found. Even so, some Democrats argue the party also needs to stand toe-to-toe with Trump. 'They gotta get mean,' said Dave Silvester, 37, of Phoenix. Other Democrats said the party sometimes over-emphasizes issues that they view as less critical such as transgender rights. Just 17% of Democrats said allowing transgender people to compete in women and girls' sports should be a priority, but 28% of Democrats think party leaders see it as such. Benjamin Villagomez, 33, of Austin, Texas said that while trans rights are important, the issue too easily lends itself to Republican attacks. 'There are more important things to be moving the needle on,' said Villagomez, who is trans. 'There are more pressing issues, things that actually matter to people's livelihoods.' Democratic strategists say that if Trump's trade and tax policies lead to higher prices and an increased budget deficit, the party needs to be ready to take full advantage in next year's elections, which will decide control of Congress. 'This recent polling data indicates Democrats have room for improvement on criticizing Trump on the economy and making it clear to voters that Democrats are the ones standing up for working people,' said Ben Tulchin, who served as U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders' pollster for his two presidential campaigns. The party needs to get beyond portraying itself 'as the lesser of two evils," Boland, the Minneapolis Democrat, said. 'It needs to transform itself into a party that everyday people can get excited about,' he said. 'That requires a changing of the guard.'
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
ASRA NOMANI: I watched hate consume Democrats' 'non-violent' #NoKings rallies
PHILADELPHIA – Last Saturday, behind a phalanx of local cops, teachers' union president Randi Weingarten stood on a stage in the heart of the city and pumped her fists in the air as she declared to a crowd protesting President Donald Trump: "We have to practice, not as a strategy, but as a way of life, peaceful nonviolence." It was a scene scripted to feel uplifting. Stage managers had set up the riser for the speakers right beneath the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where actor Sylvester Stallone famously filmed his iconic movie scene as boxer Rocky Balboa, running the stairs and then pumping his fists victoriously into the air. But the feel-good energy was suddenly pierced by shouting. A chant — scattered and distant — rose like a tide. As I drew closer to the intersection of Kelly Drive and Spring Garden Street, I recognized the familiar sing-song cadence that has marked chaos on America's streets since the Oct. 7, 2023, brutal murders of Israelis by Hamas terrorists. "Free, free Palestine!" the chant began. The response came right after: "Free, free, free Palestine!" These were the same words shouted by Elias Rodriguez, an activist radicalized in the Party for Socialism and Liberation, moments after he murdered two Israel Embassy staffers on the streets of Washington, D.C., last month. Then, another familiar refrain: "From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever!" "Donald Trump, you will see, Palestine will be free!" As a U.S. Army veteran took the main stage, the chants shifted: "U.S. imperialists! No. 1 terrorists!" "No. 1 racists! No. 1 fascists!" Then, unmistakably: "Globalize the intifada!" Missing from after-action reports that Indivisible, the main organizer of the #NoKings protests, sent journalists was any mention of the radical flanks: the "Palestine Contingent," "ICE Contingent," and "Labor Contingent" that joined protests in Philadelphia, New York City, Sacramento, Calif., and other cities, according to reporting that I did on the ground and from afar. These "contingents" include self-declared socialist, Marxist and communist groups advocating for the dismantling of the American "empire." Thursday night, they were on the streets again, protesting "NO WAR ON IRAN!." Through my investigation at the Pearl Project, a nonprofit journalism initiative named for my friend and colleague, Daniel Pearl, murdered in 2002 by militants in Pakistan, I initially found about 195 organizations and then 70 Democratic National Committee affiliates in the political machine behind the #NoKings protests, with about $2.1 billion in annual revenues. Based on my new reporting, another 118 organizations led the most radical parts of the protests, with combined annual revenues of about $204 million. I've added their names to a public database that I'm seeking to build to provide transparency for the public, press, police and policymakers about the professional protest industry: its tactics, network and ultimate aim – to sow chaos and discord. Across the country, contingents with anti-American agendas joined protests: Back in Philadelphia, the chants from the local "Palestine Contingent" continued. "When people are occupied, resistance is justified!" "Resistance is glorious! We will be victorious!" Their banners and signs made no mistake about their beliefs. A few masked men held a banner that declared, "Amerika is the head of the snake." Another banner read: "The Global Economy is Complicit in Genocide." A young man in a keffiyeh and dark shades stood behind a banner for the International Jewish Labor Bund, a self-declared socialist organization. Behind him, a man held a sign with the Party for Socialism and Liberation across the bottom in its distinctive black-and-white design. An older woman with a keffiyeh wrapped around her face pumped her fist into the air behind a banner that read, "Workers World Party," a communist organization birthed during the Soviet era. The illusion cracked. What I was witnessing wasn't a call for "peaceful nonviolence." It was the presence of a dangerous force: a coalition of far-left activists and Islamist sympathizers, which I call the Woke Army, emboldened by donor dollars, protected by political silence and increasingly comfortable with violence. Identifying myself as a journalist, I drew the ire of "Palestine Continent" activists for filming them, and I saw firsthand how this protest culture is not just performative — it's punitive, sectarian and violent. "Are you a Zionist?" a young masked man asked me, while others tried to block my path, taunting me. Another young masked man demanded: "Do you like genocide?" Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin took the stage, grinning at the success of the nationwide protest. He turned to his wife, Indivisible co-founder, Leah Greenberg, and said: "Would you lead us in a pledge of allegiance?" She began awkwardly, "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…" In the "Palestine Contingent," where I stood, the activists screamed: "Boo! Boo! Boo!" They drowned out Greenberg's words: "...with liberty and justice for all." As I panned the crowd with my camera, one young man, about 20 feet away, stopped booing to curse at me: "Get your f---ing camera out of my face, you f---ing Zionist!" Then: "Get the f--- out of my face, you Mossad piece of sh--!" Mossad is the Israeli intelligence agency. He got closer, ramming his middle finger at me, eyes glaring. Only one person – a young man – stepped forward to try to stop him. But the masked agitator escalated his claims: "She's a f---ing foreign agent! She's a f---ing foreign agent of Israel!" A masked woman with cropped hair jumped in front of me to then scream, ironically, into the camera: "Get your f---ing camera out of my face!" She circled back to flip me off. I didn't budge. My mother, watching the footage later, said: "These masked people tried to terrorize you like they are terrorizing the nation." She was right. I know these propaganda tactics. First, my friend Daniel Pearl's kidnappers smeared him as an American spy for the CIA and then a Zionist Jewish spy for Mossad, before beheading him and cutting his body into pieces. It's the rhetoric of dehumanization that the "progressives" claim to challenge but actually too often perpetuate against anyone with a different point of view. The "Palestine Contingent" weren't expressing "peaceful nonviolence" in their chants or aggression. They were moments of coercion. I wrote this column in the shadow of another horror — the brutal murder of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband by an alleged killer who hunted them down. America is becoming a nation where vigilantism is no longer lurking in the margins. It's marching through the streets, often with a protest permit. We rightly condemn right-wing violence when it erupts. But left-wing violence — often cloaked in social justice language — is excused, minimized, or worse, cheered. Networks of leftist activists now openly call for the "global intifada," and the "resistance" by "any means" including confrontation, intimidation, destruction and violence. That is not protest. That is factionalism with fists. From the main stage, a leader shouted: "Whose flag?" "Our flag!" One of the anti-Israel activists noted the American flag was the "flag of imperialism." In other protests, the "Palestine Contingent" got the microphone – or took it. In Oakland, Calif., Zahra Billoo, executive director of the CAIR chapter in the San Francisco Bay Area, had a featured speaker slot. The Women's March kicked her off its board for anti-semitic remarks.. In Philadelphia, I watched the speakers on the big screen, as masked agitators chanted over them, some accusing the organizers of being too soft on America. At one point, the din became so loud that the speaker's voice could barely be heard over the cries of "Globalize the intifada." MSNBC host Rachel Maddow covered the protests like a cheerleader, praising the "nonviolence" without acknowledging the virulent antisemitism, factionalism and outright hatred also on display. The sectarianism that has torn apart the Middle East and so many countries – from Ireland to the Balkans – is now animating street politics in America. As I stood on the steps beneath Rocky's bronze gaze, the chants still echoing, I thought about what made that statue so beloved. It wasn't just about winning. It was about standing up — even in the face of intimidation — for what's right. That's what we need now. Vigilantism is not justice. Dogma is not "resistance." And hate, no matter how well masked, has no place on America's streets. And we each have to stand up to it and not be intimidated by it. Each of us must stand up to it, unflinching and unafraid. As the "Palestine Contingent" rolled up their socialist banners, I retraced Rocky's steps, running the stairs, pumping my fists in the air.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Democrats lament 'party drama' and lack of unity as frustrations with DNC grow
Print Close By Hanna Panreck Published June 19, 2025 Some Democrats are frustrated with the Democratic National Committee during a troubled time for the party, citing internal drama and a lack of unity amid multiple resignations within the national party's operation. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., told the Washington Post that there was "more division than unity" within the party. American Federation of Teachers (AFT) chief Randi Weingarten announced her resignation from the DNC on Monday, citing an issue with leadership. Another union leader, Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, also declined to stay on as an at-large member. Dingell said the DNC needed to "do a better job of communicating with members and Democratic electeds and other members of our coalition," because it was "contributing to significant tension right now." DNC CHAIR RIPPED DAVID HOGG OVER PARTY INFIGHTING IN LEAKED MEETING AUDIO: 'REALLY FRUSTRATING' The frustrations were also evident after David Hogg revealed he would not compete in the new Democratic National Committee (DNC) vice-chair elections, which were decided last week. A majority of members voted to hold a new election following backlash over his $20 million pledge to support primary challenges against older House Democrats in safe blue districts he said are "asleep at the wheel," through his outside political action group, Leaders We Deserve. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., also expressed frustration concerning the turmoil the DNC was causing the party. "You really have to work hard to step in the pile of s--- that they're stepping in," Pocan said of the drama at the DNC. "Like you literally would have to go directly towards a path to step in it, in order to make this be the news coming out of the DNC." Weingarten expressed concern over not "enlarging our tent" in a letter to DNC Chair Ken Martin explaining why she wanted to step down. 'DISTRACTION': THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS READY TO LEAVE THEIR DAVID HOGG DRAMA IN THE DUST CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE "Randi Weingarten, Lee Saunders, and David Hogg are critical voices in our party. They want a worker centered agenda with trade schools and support for collective bargaining," Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told the Post. "They have called for a new generation of leaders. We need to be a big tent party that includes them." Martin told the Washington Post that while others "want to create internal party drama," he was focused on his principles. "I know there is news of that these last few days. I just have to stay focused on my guiding principles and what we are trying to scale up so we can win again," he told the outlet. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In a Politico article published Thursday morning, other DNC members lambasted Martin as "whiny" and "invisible." "I ran and won the race for DNC chair to get the DNC out of DC — because too many people in DC want to point fingers, and play the blame game," Martin told Politico. "They want to win irrelevant arguments, with no strategy involved, but the one strategic thing that makes us relevant is winning elections. I was elected chair to help our party win again, and we are." Print Close URL
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Exclusive: Democrats want new leaders, focus on pocketbook issues, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
WASHINGTON, June 19 (Reuters) - Democrats want new leaders for their party, which many feel isn't focusing enough on economic issues and is over-emphasizing issues like transgender rights and electric vehicles, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The poll identified a deep disconnect between what Democrats say their priorities are and the issues they believe party leaders care about most ahead of next year's midterm elections, when they hope to crack Republican control of Congress. They see their elected officials as not focused on helping families make ends meet and reducing corporate influence. Democrat Kamala Harris' November loss to Republican Donald Trump has left the party rudderless and sparked a round of soul-searching about the path forward. The poll shows that party leaders have work to do in recruiting candidates for Congress in 2026 -- and for the White House in 2028. Some 62% of self-identified Democrats in the poll agreed with a statement that "the leadership of the Democratic Party should be replaced with new people." Only 24% disagreed and the rest said they weren't sure or didn't answer. Just 30% of Republicans polled said they thought their party leadership should be replaced. Democrats' dissatisfaction is also playing out in leadership changes, including this week's resignation of Randi Weingarten, the influential president of the American Federation of Teachers, from the Democratic National Committee -- which followed the ouster of progressive activist David Hogg. The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 4,258 people nationwide and online June 11 through 16, including 1,293 Democrats. It had a margin of error of about 3 percentage points for Democrats. It found that Democrats want the party to focus on their day-to-day needs and want wealthier Americans to pay more in taxes. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is viewed as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, agrees. "People don't trust us, they don't think we have their backs on issues that are core to them, which are these kitchen table issues," Newsom said on his podcast in April. Democratic strategists who reviewed the poll's findings said they send a clear message. "Voters are very impatient right now," said Mark Riddle, who heads Future Majority, a Democratic research firm. "They want elected officials at all levels to address the cost of living, kitchen-table issues and affordability." The poll found a gap between what voters say they care about and what they think the party's leaders prioritize. It was particularly wide on the issue of reducing corporate spending in political campaigns, where 73% of Democrats said they viewed putting limits on contributions to political groups like Super PACs a priority, but only 58% believed party leaders prioritize that. That issue matters to Sam Boland, 29, a Democrat in Minneapolis, who views Super PAC money as a way to 'legally bribe' candidates. 'Politicians want to keep their jobs and are afraid of the impact that publicly funded elections might have,' Boland said. Along that line, 86% of Democrats said changing the federal tax code so wealthy Americans and large corporations pay more in taxes should be a priority, more than the 72% of those surveyed think party leaders make it a top concern. The Republican-controlled Congress is currently pushing forward with Trump's sweeping tax-cut bill that would provide greater benefits to the wealthy than working-class Americans. Anthony Rentsch, 29, of Baltimore, said he believes Democratic leaders are afraid to embrace more progressive policies such as higher taxes on the wealthy. 'A lot of Trump's success has been with populist messages, and I think there's similar populist message Democrats can have,' Rentsch said. Democrats' own priorities appeared more in line with party leaders on abortion rights - which 77% cited as a priority. Dissatisfaction over the party's priorities on several economic policies was stronger among younger Democrats like Boland and Rentsch. For example, only 55% of Democrats aged 18-39 thought the party prioritized paid family leave that would allow workers to care for sick family members and bond with a new baby, but 73% said it was a priority for them. Among older Democrats, the same share - 68% - that said the issue was a priority for them said it was a priority for party leaders. Rentsch said that criticizing Trump over his conduct won't be enough to win over skeptical voters. 'That can't be it,' Rentsch said. 'It has to be owning those issues that have an impact on their economic well-being and their physical and mental well-being.' Democratic respondents said the party should be doing more to promote affordable childcare, reduce the price of prescription drugs, make health insurance more readily available and support mass transit. They view party leaders as less passionate about those issues than they are, the poll found. Even so, some Democrats argue the party also needs to stand toe-to-toe with Trump. 'They gotta get mean,' said Dave Silvester, 37, of Phoenix. Other Democrats said the party sometimes over-emphasizes issues that they view as less critical such as transgender rights. Just 17% of Democrats said allowing transgender people to compete in women and girls' sports should be a priority, but 28% of Democrats think party leaders see it as such. Benjamin Villagomez, 33, of Austin, Texas said that while trans rights are important, the issue too easily lends itself to Republican attacks. 'There are more important things to be moving the needle on,' said Villagomez, who is trans. 'There are more pressing issues, things that actually matter to people's livelihoods.' Democratic strategists say that if Trump's trade and tax policies lead to higher prices and an increased budget deficit, the party needs to be ready to take full advantage in next year's elections, which will decide control of Congress. 'This recent polling data indicates Democrats have room for improvement on criticizing Trump on the economy and making it clear to voters that Democrats are the ones standing up for working people,' said Ben Tulchin, who served as U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders' pollster for his two presidential campaigns. The party needs to get beyond portraying itself 'as the lesser of two evils," Boland, the Minneapolis Democrat, said. 'It needs to transform itself into a party that everyday people can get excited about,' he said. 'That requires a changing of the guard.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Teachers union head Randi Weingarten resigns from DNC
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten is departing the Democratic National Committee (DNC), citing disagreements with DNC Chair Ken Martin. Weingarten told Martin in a letter dated June 5 and obtained by The Hill on Sunday that she was declining to be reappointed as an at-large member of the committee. 'While I am a proud Democrat, I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging, and I do not want to be the one who keeps questioning why we are not enlarging our tent and actively trying to engage more and more of our community,' wrote Weingarten, who has served as a DNC member for 23 years. Weingarten backed then-Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler to serve as DNC chair during elections earlier this year. Weingarten was later removed by Martin from the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee. A source close to the DNC told The Hill they were not surprised by Weingarten's move to step down, noting her differences with Martin. 'Ever since the horse she bet on in the Chairs race lost, she has always been on the other side of the fence as Ken — this is no surprise,' the source said. A longtime Democratic strategist criticized Weingarten's resignation for being poorly timed, alluding to the weekend 'No Kings' protests across the country with large crowds turning out to criticize President Trump's administration. 'Especially when the country just showed up by the millions across all demographic and geographic boundaries to take on Trump grassroots style it's flabbergasting to me that a senior DNC member, much less one as supposedly committed as Randi, would take the moment to make it all-about-her,' the strategist said. 'Today, party leadership should figure out how to not just ride a wave but lead a movement, not continue with internecine persona-driven drama.' Weingarten is a powerful figure on the political left. The AFT boasts roughly 1.8 million members and has significant influence on the Democratic Party and its candidates. Her exit comes as the DNC has had to grapple with internal divisions being laid bare in recent weeks. Former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg has been vocally critical of the party's leadership, writing in a post on the social platform X last week that the party's leaders have been 'asleep at the wheel.' The infighting has threatened to stall the party's efforts to rebuild seven months after Trump won a second term. Hogg faced backlash from many Democrats, including from within the DNC, for launching an organization that would primary incumbent House Democrats in an effort to bring about generational change within the party. Hogg said he would not be vying for his spot as vice chair in the DNC after an overwhelming majority of DNC committee members voted to redo the vice chair elections of Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who was elected again to the post on Saturday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
