A newly elected House Democrat says senior members of his own party threatened him with political retaliation if he does not vote for Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to become Speaker of the House, adding fresh strain to a leadership fight already unsettling both chambers of Congress.
Incoming Rep. Don Leonard said senior Democrats warned him they would make his life a “living hell” for the next two years and work to ensure he loses his next election if he withholds support for Jeffries. He said the message was that he was expected to “wear the team jersey” and “be a good team player,” while he countered that the “big D” Democratic Party needed a dose of “little D democracy.” He called himself a stubborn “SOB.”
Speaking to TMZ afterward, Leonard clarified that it was senior Democratic elected officials, not formal party leadership, who delivered what he described as “friendly advice” carrying “stark consequences.” A TMZ reporter said the exchange sounded like something out of The Godfather. Leonard said the consequences could touch his committee assignments, his ability to get legislation passed, and whether he would have backing to run for re-election. He declined to name the Democrats involved.
Asked about the claim, House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) said he was not aware of who Leonard was referring to, telling reporters, “I don’t know what senior Democrats he’s talking about.”
Schumer Also Losing Support
The dispute over Jeffries comes as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is seeking to become Senate Majority Leader in January, is facing defections of his own. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said flatly that he is a “no” on Schumer. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) said she would withhold support until she saw “a concrete and definitive plan that was different,” and suggested colleagues consider withholding quorum if Schumer remains the only candidate.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has also been reported to be open to challenging Schumer, or at least using the threat of a challenge to extract concessions.
The disputes reflect a broader divide among Democrats in both chambers over whether current leadership should keep its posts heading into the new Congress, with some members pushing for firmer commitments on strategy before backing incumbents for the top jobs.
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