Why the post-Pelosi Democratic Party seems directionless



Earlier this month, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement after nearly four decades of public service. As Democrats say goodbye to one of their last remaining operatives to actually effectuate change, the party is left directionless.

The extent of Democratic leadership has now been reduced to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Both figures have repeatedly struggled to balance the progressives and the establishment moderates, with the most recent shutdown fiasco serving as a prime example.

'We all need to take a very big dose of humility.'

Onlookers on both sides of the aisle largely agree that the undisciplined messaging and disorganized strategy would never have taken place when Pelosi held the gavel.

With no obvious leader to follow in Pelosi's footsteps, the Democratic Party has become more undisciplined and rudderless than ever before.

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“She's an all-time great speaker because all other tools that speakers had to discipline or motivate legislators were not available to her," said Dheeraj Chand, a Democratic strategist and pollster with Siege Analytics, of Pelosi.

"She has no whip. She has no carrot. All that she has left is persuasive power, and she held that entire group of imbeciles together using nothing but persuasive power," Chand told Blaze News. "No small feat."

The latest instance of intraparty insubordination took place when 23 House Democrats chose to rebuke one of their own. The unusual reprimand came after Democratic Rep. Chuy Garcia of Illinois was censured by nearly all Republicans and several Democrats, with Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington authoring the condemnation.

Garcia, a retiring Democrat, was censured after he set up his chief of staff to be the lone Democrat on the primary ballot to succeed him in his deep-blue district, a move which Gluesenkamp Perez called "election subversion."

"Both parties are finding it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to lead their respective caucuses in the traditional hierarchical manner," Len Foxwell, a Democratic strategist based in Maryland, told Blaze News. "We see the example with Representative Garcia as emblematic of the challenges that Democrats face with breakaway members, and we saw during the attenuated leadership tenure of Kevin McCarthy how virtually impossible it is for establishment Republicans to contain the Freedom Caucus."

"When there's no leader, it's not only that there's no opinion, but there's nobody calling the shots," Chand told Blaze News. "When there's nobody calling the shots, it's hard to feel like you are playing for a team that can protect you."

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In both cases, neither party had a political north star to follow. With former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, President Donald Trump's command of the party slipped away after former President Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 election. In the case of Democrats today, the party is still on the back foot following the colossal electoral rebuke they endured in November 2024 after Kamala Harris stepped in to replace Biden at the top of the ticket.

Some party moderates still believe that "a lot of Democratic voters didn't come out because they were appalled at the vice president just getting to step in for the president, even though that was her job! Another perceived coronation, from her eyes, is just going to exacerbate the brand problem," Chand suggested.

"Without a leader, every legislator is responding to what they think is the reason for the loss," he told Blaze News.

“The Republican leadership chain is much more vertical and much more linear because the party is still led by Donald Trump," Foxwell told Blaze News. "It is still absolutely Donald Trump's party, and Mike Johnson toes the Donald Trump line, period full stop. It's easy when you have an outsized leader at the top to set the substance, the tone, and the stylistic direction of the party."

"We don't have that, and we haven't had it in more than a decade, even with the four-year interim with Joe Biden," Foxwell added. "He was not what one would consider a strong party leader.”

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The shortcomings of the directionless Democratic Party culminated on November 4, 2024, when Trump swept all seven swing states and secured impressive electoral gains across nearly every demographic.

"Exit polls are something like tabular tarot cards — you see what you want to see in them. They reveal more about you than they do the world," Chand told Blaze News. "It's unreasonable to rely on them too much, but post-election surveys are very, very revealing. This kind of loss is a catastrophe that is decades in the making. It's bigger than one candidate in 100 days or one term. We lost share with everyone except affluent white people. That's a Reagan-level defeat [over Walter Mondale], for similar reasons."

"Right now our party is in the midst of one of its periodic transitions in which the establishment wing is in a battle for primacy with its progressive insurgent wing. It's taking on philosophical overtones, but also generational ones," Foxwell told Blaze News. "It's not just that the old-school leadership represented by Pelosi was perhaps philosophically out of sync with some of these younger, more progressive insurgents, but she also came from a different generation."

While Republicans comfortably dominate the political landscape, Democrats are trying to find their own identity. New York progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani have emerged as rising stars in their party and as a rebuke to establishment figures like Schumer and even Pelosi. Other figures, like Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California and even failed candidate Kamala Harris, seem to be scoping out the competition.

Even with a range of politicians to choose from, the first step Democrats need to take is zoom out and understand their electoral failures.

"Nobody sees this coming," Chand told Blaze News. "I think we're going to lose until we win. And when people figure out what it takes, we will win. I think we all need to take a very big dose of humility."

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JD Vance offers calm election reflection, warns against 'idiotic' overreaction to Dem winning streak



Vice President JD Vance is cutting through the noise and reminding Republicans not to overreact to the Democrats' latest winning streak in local and state elections.

To onlookers, it might seem like Democrats have regained their footing. New York City elected its first openly socialist mayor, California is poised to redistrict the state in a manner that gives Democrats an even greater electoral advantage, and fantasizing about murdering political opponents no longer disqualifies a person from holding the highest law enforcement office in Virginia. In short, Democrats won every election they were hoping to win on November 4.

'The infighting is so stupid.'

In the wake of these electoral losses, Vance gave Republican voters a reality check.

"I think it's idiotic to overreact to a couple of elections in blue states, but a few thoughts," Vance said in a Wednesday post on X.

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Vance noted that one of Republicans' challenges is voter enthusiasm. Voter turnout has historically been difficult for local elections, even more so among Republicans. Because of this, Vance emphasized the importance of energizing the base and engaging voters in future elections.

"[Scott] Pressler, TPUSA, and a bunch of others have been working hard to register voters," Vance said. "I said it in 2022, and I've said it repeatedly since: our coalition is 'low propensity' and that means we have to do better at turning out voters than we have in the past."

Affordability was at the forefront of all successful campaigns this cycle. As Vance noted, cost of living will be a defining issue for all future elections, and it's one Republicans need to stay focused on both on the campaign trail and in office.

"We need to focus on the home front," Vance said. "The president has done a lot that has already paid off in lower interest rates and lower inflation, but we inherited a disaster from Joe Biden and Rome wasn't built in a day."

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"We're going to keep on working to make a decent life affordable in this country, and that's the metric by which we'll ultimately be judged in 2026 and beyond."

Above all, Vance encouraged the MAGA movement to tune out distracting "infighting" and focus on the movement.

"The infighting is so stupid," Vance said. "I care about my fellow citizens — particularly young Americans — being able to afford a decent life, I care about immigration and sovereignty, and I care about establishing peace overseas so our resources can be focused at home."

"If you care about those things too, let's work together."

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Obama-endorsed Democrat wins NJ governor race amid polling station bomb threats



Democrat candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill was elected to serve as New Jersey governor Tuesday night, defeating Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli.

Sherrill narrowly won with 56.9% of the vote, while Ciattarellisecured 42.5%, according to the Associated Press. Although Trump made strides in New Jersey during the 2024 election, his popularity did not translate to other Republican candidates in the state.

The morning of the election, multiple bomb threats were made.

Leading up to the election, Ciattarelli managed to close a nearly double-digit polling Democrat advantage into low-single-digit race. Despite Ciattarelli's growing momentum in the final weeks of his campaign, the Republican lost his third bid for governor of the Garden State.

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The morning of the election, multiple bomb threats were made across seven counties, disrupting voters at various poll sites, including five counties with the largest numbers of registered voters. Despite the threats, law enforcement did not find any devices, and an arrest was made in connection with the threats.

Voting resumed safely in the state following the threats, and residents eventually elected the New Jersey Democrat to helm the state.

While Ciattarelli ran with a key endorsement from President Donald Trump, the Republican also secured the support of many local Democrats, including Garfield Mayor Everett Garnto, who changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in the same announcement.

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“It’s not just Republicans who are crying out for change,” Ciattarelli told a crowd following Garnto's endorsement. “It’s unaffiliated, independent voters and, yes, even moderate Democrats who’ve come to the realization that this current administration has failed.”

Sherill also secured a high-profile endorsement from former President Barack Obama, who praised her "integrity, grit, and commitment to service."

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Progressive wins VA race despite admitted indifference to 'sexually explicit material' in schools



Democrat Virginia state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi was elected to serve as Virginia's lieutenant governor Tuesday night, defeating Republican strategist and radio host John Reid.

Hashmi won the election with 53.4% of the vote, while Reid garnered 46.3%, according to the Associated Press. Of the three major Virginia elections, this is the second race called in favor of the Democrats.

Polls had Reid and Hashmi polling neck and neck.

Although the race was projected to be neck and neck into election night, Hashmi pulled ahead by over 145,000 votes.

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Throughout the election cycle, Virginia Democrats were plagued with scandals related to violent and extreme rhetoric. Attorney General candidate Jay Jones infamously fantasized about murdering his political opponents, and Hashmi was on the record tolerating explicit content in children's classrooms.

"One of my concerns is violence. We seem to focus on sexually explicit material," Hashmi said in a video obtained by Blaze News. "I don't really care about that."

"We teach the books that other people try to ban," Hashmi said.

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Despite this, polls had Reid and Hashmi polling neck and neck.

Reid spent his time on the campaign trail focusing on the economy, lowering taxes, and slashing regulations, as well as defending law enforcement. Reid repeatedly called out Hashmi's progressive track record.

Hashmi made abortion access a core value for her campaign despite Virginia's lenient laws that allow abortion up to the third trimester. Hashmi also campaigned on tightening gun restrictions, as well as pitching herself as the anti-Trump candidate.

Although these social issues are not a priority for most of the state's voters, Virginians ultimately cast their ballots in Hashmi's favor.

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‘Our future is on the line’: Glenn Beck announces BlazeTV’s election night coverage



America is currently standing at a fork in the road. Which path we take will determine our fate as a nation.

One path is “we try something entirely new,” as in “not the Constitution,” and the other path is “we go back towards the Constitution,” says Glenn Beck.

The stakes for this decision are higher than they’ve ever been.

“We're deciding this year whether or not our kids are going to grow up in a country that gives them the opportunity to be themselves and to move forward and chart their own course, or we're going to continue to live in a place where we're not sure if our kids are going to have a better life than we did,” Glenn warns.

Regardless of who you vote for, Glenn says that one thing applies to everyone: “You’ve got to get involved this year,” which includes voting.

Election Day is rapidly approaching, and it will undoubtedly be a night that goes down in history, which is why BlazeTV will be broadcasting it live.

“We’d love to share it with you,” says Glenn.

Go to BlazeElection.com for exclusive access to our election night broadcasting. Your BlazeTV+ subscription also gives you access to all BlazeTV content as well as Blaze News.

“Sign up and be a part of the family as we go through this together,” invites Glenn.

Get $40 off your first year of BlazeTV+ with code ELECTION.

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Ohio Election Enshrines ABORTION & Marijuana into Law?!
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Ohio Election Enshrines ABORTION & Marijuana into Law?!

Election results: Ohio enshrines abortion into law & legalizes recreational marijuana



In a deafening blow to Republicans, election night Ohio voters enshrined abortion rights into their state constitution and legalized recreational marijuana.

Not only did Republicans take a loss in Ohio, but Virginia voters handed Democrats full control of their state’s legislature.

Glenn Beck believes the way the abortion rights were proposed was “misleading.”

“It was horrible the way it was worded, and I think there were a lot of people that fell for it, quite honestly. It wasn't honest. However, it could be that people are just cool with abortion,” Glenn says.

If it’s the latter, Stu Burguiere believes “we are going to deserve everything our country gets, you know. That is where this is going to end, sadly.”

He also notes that Glenn is right about the wording, which brought up things like birth control, fertility treatments, and miscarriage care, “which no one was fighting against.”

The Ohio constitutional amendment also used the term “continuing one's own pregnancy,” which is absolutely misleading.

“Is there a movement of people just walking down the street, pointing at pregnant bellies and saying, ‘And that one’?” Stu asks.

Abortion and marijuana legalization both won by double digits.

While a huge loss for those who value life, it doesn’t mean minds still can’t be changed.

“You can’t just depend on votes. You have to be able to convince people over a very long period, and it’s important because what we’re talking about here are children living,” Stu says, adding, “And I know that’s a quaint little idea that we’re not allowed to talk about anymore, but we kind of think that children should be alive.”


Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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Democrat John Fetterman beats Republican Dr. Oz in hotly contested race for Pennsylvania's US Senate seat, multiple networks project



Democrat John Fetterman beat Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz in the hotly contested race for Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate seat, according to projections from Fox News, NBC News, and other outlets early Wednesday morning.

The tally had been too close to call after midnight, but Fetterman began getting the big check mark just before 1 a.m.

As the projected winner, Fetterman may help shift the balance of power in the Senate, which has been deadlocked at 50-50 since early 2021 — albeit with Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, holding the deciding vote. It's also a pickup for Democrats, as the seat was held by retiring GOP U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey.

The Oz-versus-Fetterman contest received arguably the most attention nationwide, particularly when Oz began to chip away at Fetterman's sizable lead and especially after Fetterman's stroke earlier this year — and its cognitive effects on him — became a major issue.

What happened Tuesday night?

Around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Fetterman was leading Oz by whopping 17 points with 20% of precincts reporting. But just after an hour, Oz had made significant gains, narrowing the gap to two points with 64% reporting.

At 11 p.m., the only Pennsylvania county that hadn't reported was Bedford, which sits on the southern edge of the state and is heavily conservative. A few minutes later, when Bedford finally reported, Fetterman's lead shrank to 1.1 points.

The Associated Press by 1:12 a.m. had not called the race, which showed Fetterman leading Oz by 1.4 points with 84% of precincts reporting. The vote totals stood at 2,446,089 for Fetterman and 2,380,124 for Oz, according to the AP.

What's the background?

Oz had consistently trailed Fetterman in the polls, but Oz cut into Fetterman's double-digit lead after the Senate primary in May to just a 3.7-point average differential by the end of September.

What's more, Oz attacked Fetterman for refusing to share his medical records with reporters in regard to his stroke and for agreeing to only one debate.

NBC News interviewed Fetterman a little over three weeks prior to Election Day, and he struggled to speak and understand the questions he was asked — even having to read a reporter's questions from a computer.

It was more of the same during Fetterman's late-October debate against Oz, as Fetterman started things off by saying: "Hi. Good night, everybody."

\u201cFetterman opens the debate: \n\n"Hi. Good night everybody."\u201d
— Greg Price (@Greg Price) 1666742744

Fetterman supports abortion with no limits and has vowed to end the filibuster. What's more, he has attacked Oz for stating that "abortion is murder" and claimed the Republican doesn't believe in exceptions for rape or incest.

Anything else?

On the eve of the midterms, Fetterman filed a federal lawsuit arguing that not counting ballots that violate Pennsylvania election law actually violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964.