Just days after Tuesday’s election that will decide control of the House, Democrats will contend with another internal contest to determine leadership of their conference.
One position that is up for grabs is the chair of a large caucus of pragmatic-minded Democrats who have a history of Republican outreach on policy solutions.
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The New Democrat Coalition, or New Dems, is a center-left caucus made up of 100 members of various ideologies within the Democratic Party. The body is often one of the driving forces behind pushing major legislation across the finish line, particularly under the leadership of Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH).
With Kuster retiring, a leadership race is underway between two strong contenders: Reps. Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL).
“Even as a coalition that’s in the minority, I think that actually highlights that when we prioritize getting things done and collaboration, not just within our coalition, but when we can find areas to work with our Republican colleagues on, we’re going to be pragmatic and do that,” Davids said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
Davids and Schneider will face off for a vote after the 2024 election when members return to Capitol Hill. The date has not been announced. With Kuster’s retirement, this is one of the most closely watched Democratic leadership contests in the House.
Both candidates already have a foot in the door: Davids serves as the New Dems’ vice chair for new member services, while Schneider is the coalition’s vice chair of communications.
Davids sees swing district experience as asset for coalition
The Kansas Democrat won her seat in the House in 2018, making history as the first Native woman to be elected to Congress. She defeated four-term incumbent Kevin Yoder in Kansas’s 3rd District — a major victory largely due to her ability to reach independent and moderate voters in the red state.
This experience, Davids said, has prepared her to represent frontliners and swing district Democrats both in the chamber and on the campaign trail — something at which Kuster, in her time as leader, excelled.
“Coming from a red state and having been through tough elections every two years since getting elected, and serving during that time as the vice chair of member services … I have really had the chance to hear from and work with almost all of our members to just help figure out what they need to be successful in the Congress, and also what they need to be successful on the campaign side,” Davids said.
A considerable task of the New Democrat Coalition chair is to develop winning strategies for campaigns, particularly for frontliners and “Red to Blue” candidates chosen by the Democrats’ campaign arm. About 80% of New Dem members are frontliners, and 70% of New Dems are part of the Red to Blue program.
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As a frontliner herself, Davids said she understands first-hand what it takes to win tough elections and “to make sure that we keep strong, pragmatic Democrats in the House.”
Davids has raised over $1.26 million for the DCCC, holding more than two dozen fundraising events for New Dem candidates across red states like Montana, Iowa, and Nebraska, as well as battleground states like Pennsylvania and Arizona.
Since the 2022 midterms when Republicans took control of the House, the legislative agenda has been plagued by GOP infighting and hindered by a razor-thin majority. Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) three-seat majority often required him throughout the last Congress to rely on Democratic voters and push back against his right flank, angry at him for requiring liberal votes to push through appropriations and foreign aid.
Davids said with the “diversity” of New Democrat Coalition members, it will be key for the caucus to have a chair centered on building strong relationships with “both the Republican governance group and with the Progressive Caucus” to find common ground and push back against “extreme things.”
“Nothing passes in the House without the New Dem voting block,” Davids said. ”We’re the ones who help keep the government open. We’re the ones who help make sure that things like the Fiscal Responsibility Act actually get across the finish line.”
“So I’m just really looking forward to building on the momentum that we’ve had in this Congress,” the Kansas Democrat said, adding that the coalition will be at the forefront of key pieces of legislation coming up like the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act and a potential farm bill.
Schneider wants to give back to New Dems that made Congress ‘home’
Schneider arrived on Capitol Hill in 2012, and he said the New Democrat Coalition has been “my home” ever since. For “the better part of my time in Congress,” Schneider has served in the coalition’s leadership — and he believes his extensive political experience makes him the best candidate to succeed Kuster.
Before becoming vice chair of communications, he was leader of the New Dem Action Fund, the group’s campaign arm, from 2020 to 2022. Under his leadership, the fundraising arm protected 22 incumbents, elected 17 new members, and flipped five red seats.
Like Davids, he has spent much of the 2024 election cycle traveling on the campaign trail and raising money for House Democrats. This cycle, he’s given over $3 million to Democrats, with $2.5 million going specifically to New Dem candidates and members.
“I believe deeply in what we are about – working together and across the aisle to get things done for the interests of our nation and, individually, for the people we represent in our districts,” Schneider said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “We build for the future, working with the basic building blocks of policy to create great legislation that will strengthen our communities.”
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In the 2010s, Illinois’s 10th Congressional District was considered the state’s top battleground district. The seat bounced between Schneider and moderate Republican Rep. Bob Dold over four consecutive cycles. However, Schneider defeated Dold in 2016 as the era of former President Donald Trump rose and was mostly rejected in the solid blue state.
Now, the seat is solidly Democrat and Schneider is no longer a Republican target. As the war between Israel and Hamas continues to fracture the Democratic Party, Schneider has been one of the most vocal pro-Israel House Democrats and has worked across the aisle to bring support to the U.S. ally.
“I understand what it is like to be both a challenger and a frontline candidate, and I also know how to build support across the political divide and bring both Democratic and Republican voters together,” Schneider said. “Because New Dems tend to represent moderate, swing seats, my experience gives me great insight into the political landscape that so many of our members must navigate.”
If elected as chairman, Schneider said his priority will be to make sure the coalition continues its trend of pushing substantial policy and legislation across the finish line. He praised Kuster, calling her a “powerhouse” and attributed the 100-member body with various ideologies to her.
“I intend to build on the legacy of all my predecessors, deepening New Dems’ influence in the biggest policy discussions of the day – like getting more gavels and crucial committee seats in New Dem hands and ensuring we’re at the table in priority policy discussions, like tax reform which will perhaps be the biggest debate in Congress next year,” the Illinois Democrat said.
Democratic majority could usher in new House leaders
If Democrats retake the House majority after Election Day next Tuesday, this would set up a historical moment for Congress: electing Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) as the first black speaker of the House.
In doing so, multiple sources told the Washington Examiner that there are no current plans for members to challenge top Democratic leadership, and the leaders would just shift up one peg.
Meaning, Majority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) would likely ascend to majority leader, Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-CA) would become majority whip, and caucus vice chair Ted Lieu (D-CA) would succeed Aguilar as chair. Assistant Leader Joe Neguse (D-CO) is tapped to run for assistant speaker.
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If Lieu becomes chair of the Democratic Caucus, the Washington Examiner confirmed that Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) and Robin Kelly (D-IL) would throw their hats in the ring for vice chair.
Jacobs currently serves as Caucus Leadership Representative, while Kelly served as a former chair of the Illinois Democratic Party.
