House Democrats will face a grueling next year as they become the minority in a GOP trifecta, with all eyes looking to several rising stars within the party to amplify the Democratic agenda and be the face of any pushback against House Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump.
Coming off of the 2024 election, Democrats have been reflecting on how the party can revamp itself after seeing working-class voters trend toward Trump and Republicans.
Progressives have called for new blood in leadership, while establishment Democrats are looking to elevate their agenda and ensure that the next committee and party leaders will communicate it more effectively — a 2024 campaign failure most Democrats have acknowledged after the Senate and White House flipped red.
While most top Democrats will remain the same, the number of challengers to establishment Democrats, either in leadership or on committee, signaled the party is close to a generational shake-up — or well on its way.
Incoming freshmen also will play a significant role in the next Congress, with a handful preparing to assume vital leadership roles dedicated to assuring new members’ voices are heard.
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1. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Though Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) will not be the next ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, her bid to challenge the establishment shows she will likely take on a more vocal role in the next Congress.
The race to be the top Democrat on one of the most influential committees highlighted an ideological and generational divide within the caucus. Progressives and new members saw Ocasio-Cortez’s leadership bid as a chance to bring fresh ideas to the Democrats coming off an election that they think isolated young and blue-collar voters from their cause.
Ocasio-Cortez, whose once fiery progressive nature has shifted toward the center-left during her terms in the House, will still be influential with or without the ranking member title. Though she lost the race, it’s likely she could ascend to power in another fashion.
She served as a vice ranking member under Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), which she said put her in a unique position to tackle the job. Along with her fellow “Squad” members, Ocasio-Cortez will still be a vocal challenge to Trump’s trifecta as she was during his first administration.
The New York Democrat is also known for being an effective questioner during committee hearings and holding Republicans accountable, but over the years has combined efforts with GOP colleagues to work across the aisle on key issues. In her six years in office, she has built a strong national profile on and off Capitol Hill with her use of social media and other platforms to reach young voters.
2. Maxwell Frost
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) is the first Generation Z lawmaker to hold a leadership position. He was elected as the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee co-chairman, succeeding Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX).
He will work under DPCC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), who successfully beat back challenger Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX). He will use his experience on campaigns and at music festivals to to modernize the party and help members get the maximum use out of live events and press conferences. He also plans to utilize a digital booking service to help spread the Democrats’ message.
Since arriving on Capitol Hill in 2023, he has been a vocal member of the caucus, calling out Republican and Democratic colleagues alike. He took a forward role in Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, visiting over a half dozen states including battleground ones.
3. Greg Casar
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) is the new chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, succeeding powerhouse Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). He will lead alongside Deputy Chairwoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Whip-elect Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL).
Casar will lead one of the most vocal bodies of the Democratic Party that has promised to fight back against the Trump administration and Republican-led Congress next year on topics like climate change, taxes, and social justice.
“It will be our job to be defense against extreme policies from Trump and his billionaire friends. But it will also be up to the CPC to build a vision of a Democratic Party,” Casar said during his first remarks as chairman-elect on Dec. 5.
His plan for the new Congress is to help bring about a “more authentic Democratic Party” that he believes was absent from the 2024 election.
“If the Democratic Party was a little bit more like Chairwoman Jayapal and a little less like Joe Manchin, I think we would have won this election,” Casar said at the time.
4. Sarah McBride
Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-DE) has already proven to hold considerable power and sway within the Democratic caucus in the weeks following the 2024 election.
McBride shot into the national spotlight as the first transgender member of Congress. The Delaware lawmaker later made headlines before the swearing-in after Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced a bill to ban McBride from using female bathrooms.
Many House Democrats told the Washington Examiner that the caucus took McBride’s preferred approach to the situation, which was to brush off the issue and not engage. The new Delware representative told the Washington Examiner that the goal for the upcoming term was not to just be considered the “transgender member of Congress.”
Moving into the new Congress, the bathroom ban will likely be renewed with a GOP trifecta at Mace’s back. McBride has pledged not to care about LGBT issues but for the whole state of Delaware.
Democrats will likely turn to McBride, already standing out as an effective communicator, for powerful messaging heading into 2025 and 2026, particularly as the new Delaware lawmaker has called on the party to be humble after the 2024 election and partake in reflection.
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5. Yassamin Ansari
Rep.-elect Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) is likely to have a bright future in the Democratic Party and is already a rising star after her election as the freshman class president.
As the youngest female Democrat in Congress and the first Iranian American Democrat to serve on Capitol Hill, Ansari is taking the mantle of president seriously and hopes to be a strong “voice of the class,” she told the Washington Examiner in an interview.
“I think it’s a signal, a small signal, but it’s still a signal that the party is ready to invest and showcase some of the younger, more diverse members,” she said.
She will be a significant asset for the party come 2026, when Democrats will have to fight diligently if they wish to break apart the GOP trifecta. Ansari’s ability to attract young voters and immigrants through her background will be a huge boost for Democrats who want to rebuild their base.
6. Wesley Bell
Eyes will be on Rep.-elect Wesley Bell (D-MO) to see how he fits into the new Congress after ousting “Squad” Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO).
He has not yet been invited to join the Congressional Progressive Caucus, of which Bush was a member, despite aligning with several of their values — but he told the Washington Examiner he expects those conversations to be ongoing as he adjusts to life on Capitol Hill.
The prosecutor for St. Louis County, Bell has built a state and national profie as a competent orator, though he has drawn public scrutiny over a discrimination case against him. He said he plans to work with all Democrats and even Republicans across the aisle to deliver for his district, which he said lacked tangible results under Bush’s representation.
7. Johnny Olszewski
Rep.-elect Johnny Olszewski (D-MD) successfully ran to be the freshman representative to the Steering Committee.
The body selects committee leadership and also allotted new members with their committee assignments. Most freshmen members get at least one committee, with many receiving multiple.
Olszewski served six years as the Baltimore County Executive, with the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge being one of the most challenging moments of his administration. He worked closely with Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) in wake of the tragedy that led to several workers dead and economy disruptions.
During his campaign, he referred to himself as part of the “new generation of leaders in Washington.” With power on the Steering Committee, Olszewski is likely to establish strong relationships with establishment Democrats and those in leadership.
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8. Luz Rivas
Rep.-elect Luz Rivas (D-CA) will serve as House Democrats’ freshman representative to leadership, a position previously held by Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA).
If she follows in Jacobs’ footsteps, Rivas is expected to become a rising star in the party. Combined with Ansari, the two women’s jobs will be to encourage Democrats to accept and implement new member ideas, as well as come up with original methods to keep competitive seats blue and build outreach to importing voting blocs.
Rivas will replace outgoing Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), who served as a longtime strong voice for California and Democrats since 2013. With big shoes to fill, Rivas will be able to connect with both her fellow freshman and current leaders to bring the Democratic Party together in 2025.
