Divided Democrats: How the Party is Struggling to Effectively Oppose Trump

Matthew Willar

News Editor

Congress avoided a government shutdown last week with the help of Democrats voting to pass a continuing resolution (CR) in the Senate. Minority leader Chuck Schumer joined nine other Democrats voting with Republicans along party lines to move forward the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk which he signed on Friday, but Democrats in opposition immediately expressed their frustration, according to NPR. The party has been unable to find a clear leader to lead a party in the minority in all three branches of government, signaling a possible call for new leadership to be made at any moment.

The Democratic party has knowingly remained united since the former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, stepped down from leadership and handed the baton to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. The party unanimously supported Jeffries for Speaker of the House since being in the minority and has voted along party lines on nearly every Republican-sponsored bill this year.

However, after losing the 2024 election with former Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket and losing many incumbent Senate seats, the party has struggled to find a new message that Republicans have been able to create so effectively over the past year.

The party doesn’t have the power to create new legislation, but they do have the power to lead an opposition to proposed legislation. Democrats in the House of Representatives have been vocal in their opposition, but haven’t moved the needle in any fashion. In fact, instead of helping delay legislation, some have helped Republicans get bills passed. After Rep. Al Green was removed from the chamber during Trump’s joint address to Congress, 10 democrats in the House voted with Republicans to censure him.

The party is not just struggling to find a platform to resonate with Americans, but also struggling to find new strategies. Some of the Democrat’s biggest names have changed their stances on key issues that won Republicans the election, but this has sparked outrage from liberal members of the party.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is one notable individual, who has created some distrust from his party. On his podcast, “This Is Gavin Newsom,” the California liberal has hosted right-wing provocateurs Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon.

In his interview with Kirk, he was asked about his views on transgender athletes in women’s sports, which he said, “It is an issue of fairness — it’s deeply unfair,” according to Politico. When interviewing Bannon, Newsom was criticized for giving him a platform at all. Bannon spread the false belief that the 2020 election was won by Trump, which Newsom failed to fact-check.

Newsom isn’t the only one who is breaking with his party on key issues. The Democratic New York Delegation of Congress has become completely divided after Schumer voted to advance the CR last week. Although Schumer was joined by his fellow New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand in his vote, New York members of the lower chamber couldn’t disagree more with the pair.

Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasico-Cortez told CNN’s Jake Tapper last week, “I think there is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal,” referring to Schumer’s decision to support the CR. She claimed that the party ​​decided to “…completely roll over and give up on protecting the Constitution.”

With little power in any of the three branches of government and no clear leader to be the face of the party for the coming years of Trump’s presidency, the Democratic party is divided as ever. With calls for Osascio-Cortez to primary Schumer when he is up for reelection, and Newsom breaking with his known liberal beliefs, the party is going to be forced to decide how they move forward toward the midterm elections in less than two years.