Tim Fernholz says a rising crop of Democrats is looking to the middle.
After last fall’s electoral defeats, a shaken Democratic Congress returned to Washington to assess its political position and leadership, during what would turn out to be a surprisingly productive lame-duck session. Following a close look at the roster, both the House and the Senate Democratic caucuses elected the same leadership slates that oversaw punishing losses in 2010.
Yet with so many veterans culled in November — 63 in the House and six in the Senate — a new generation of leaders needs to step up inside the Democratic Caucus to regain electoral ground and continue pushing their party’s priorities in the face of an increasingly conservative Republican Party.
That’s why Democrats are raising the profile of some newer members and emphasizing a congenial caucus where moderate and conservative members can still find a home.
“Many members of the Democratic Caucus voted against the health-care bill, and I expect many of them might vote for repealing the health-care bill,” sophomore Rep. Jared Polis explains. “They’re still welcome members of the big-tent Democratic Party, and their presence in our caucus is the key to the Democrats winning back the majority. … We don’t enforce the same type of discipline on our members as the Republicans have in the minority, and I think that shows the Democratic Party better reflects the diversity of our country.”
