Democratic drama: Union leader exits underscore DNC divisions
On Sunday, news surfaced that American Federation of Teachers union President Randi Weingarten and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees President Lee Saunders would decline to be reappointed as at-large members of the committee.
Both endorsed DNC Chair Ken Martin's former opponent Ben Wikler in the party chair's race earlier this year, and both were later removed by Martin from the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee.
The two cited internal disagreements in their decisions to leave the DNC; their exits are the latest examples of internal disagreements within the party spilling out into the open.
'It shows that we're not united,' said Douglas Wilson, a North Carolina-based Democratic strategist. 'Everytime we have a situation where prominent people are exiting their posts, not the party but their posts at the DNC, that becomes the narrative as opposed to what the Trump administration is doing.'
Other Democrats have brushed off the departures as not completely out of the ordinary.
'There is zero daylight between Chairman Martin and the vast, vast majority of DNC members,' said New York state Sen. James Skoufis (D), who ran for DNC chair earlier this year and backed Martin after dropping out.
'There are always going to be a couple of members, a few members who from administration to administration are not going to be completely aligned and are not going to want to continue as members. And so that always happens,' he said.
Weingarten and Saunders informed Martin in separate letters that they were declining to be nominated as at-large members of the DNC.
'While I am a proud Democrat, I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging, and I do not want to be the one who keeps questioning why we are not enlarging our tent and actively trying to engage more and more of our community,' Weingarten wrote to Martin in a letter dated June 5.
In his letter dated May 27, Saunders wrote to Martin that 'this moment demands unwavering focus, discipline, and clarity.'
'It demands that we devote every ounce of our energy to defending our members, protecting our collective bargaining rights and making sure that all workers know we are in their corner and we are fighting,' Saunders wrote.
A source close to the DNC told The Hill that Weingarten's exit did not come as a surprise.
'Ever since the horse she bet on in the chair's race lost, she has always been on the other side of the fence as Ken — this is no surprise,' the source said.
And in a statement following news Saunders was leaving the committee, DNC Labor Council Chair Stuart Appelbaum praised Martin as a leader who understands 'workers are the backbone of the Democratic Party.'
A separate Democratic source described Weingarten's and Saunders's support of Wikler during the race as 'hyperintense,' noting they were 'bitter' with the outcome of the race.
'It was very clear to me that they were looking to blow up the DNC,' the source said. '[Martin] is not looking to blow the place up.'
The two unions represent significant Democratic constituencies. The American Federation of Teachers boasts more than 1.8 million members while American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has more than 1.3 million members. The groups and their leaders are also expected to continue to play major roles in the Democratic ecosystem. Some Democrats note that Weingarten's and Saunders's departures come after Republicans made inroads with some union constituencies in 2024.
'Although Republicans are not sweeping unions, Republicans are starting to be viewed by union members as the party of the people who have to take a shower after work or in this case the people who have to take an Excedrin after work,' Wilson said.
Critics of the departures have been quick to label the moves as 'a distraction,' noting how the two letters surfaced Sunday evening.
'We don't have to have all of these disputes and conversations in the public sphere because it does not help the overall cause and the overall good,' said Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist and former adviser to former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.
'No matter what the disagreement may be, it does not compare to the disagreements that we have with the other side,' he continued.
John Verdejo, a DNC member from North Carolina, said he sees the situation as coming down to 'bruised egos.'
'The fact they decided to go public with this, on a matter that is internal, on top of all that is going on, speaks volumes and more about them,' Verdejo said.
Last week, the DNC was moving forward after David Hogg announced he would not be vying for his spot as vice chair in the DNC after an overwhelming majority of committee members voted to redo the vice chair elections of Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who was elected again to the post on Saturday.
Hogg has faced backlash from Democrats for launching his organization, Leaders We Deserve, that would primary incumbent House Democrats in an effort to bring about generational change within the party, all while he was serving as a vice chair.
Weingarten expressed support in April for Hogg's efforts to get involved in Democratic primaries, but her exit letter was written prior to Hogg's decision to not run for vice chair again.
'It's very obvious to most that Randi was channeling that disappointment with the [chair] race through David Hogg because David Hogg obviously was a very significant disrupter,' the second Democratic source said.
Seawright argued that the departures present Martin with the opportunity to bring new members into the vacated spots.
'Randi has been around the DNC for a very long time so maybe her resignation is another opportunity for another generation of leadership who wants to do the work ahead that's going to be required of us as Democrats,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
29 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Alligator Alcatraz Hunger Strike: What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Detainees at the controversial immigration facility known as "Alligator Alcatraz" have reportedly been on a hunger strike for more than 10 days, protesting conditions at the center. Newsweek has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' office for comment via email on Saturday. Why It Matters There have been allegations of medical neglect, verbal abuse, and poor conditions inside the Everglades immigration facility, and human rights advocates have repeatedly raised concerns about the center. Alligator Alcatraz was quickly created and holds an estimated 1,000 beds. The bunkbeds are stacked together in wire-fenced cages. The remote facility is expected to cost Florida about $450 million annually to operate. The center is part of the Trump administration's effort to crackdown on illegal immigration. President Donald Trump has vowed to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history, an initiative that has seen an intensification of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and arrests across the country, including people with valid visas and documentation. What To Know Several detainees at the relatively new facility are refusing food as part of a hunger strike to protest conditions inside the center, with reports noting the strike has entered its 11th day. Pedro Lorenzo Concepcion one of the detainees, was hospitalized during the strike, and told El Pais in a call from inside the facility, "I feel weak, with a lot of heartburn." He told the outlet that he has refused to eat since July 22. He continued: "I don't want food, I refuse any treatment. I didn't even ask to be taken to the hospital, because I'm fighting for my family and all Cubans, and I belong where my people are, in prison, suffering the same hardship they are." His wife, Daimarys Hernández, has told the outlet and NBC that she is afraid he may die in custody or be deported back to Cuba alone. Lorenzo Concepcion, who NBC identified as Pedro Hernández, came to the U.S. from Cuba nearly two decades ago, in 2006. He was detained on July 8 after showing up at an ICE appointment in Miramar, Florida. So far this year, there have been 10 confirmed deaths in ICE detention, per the agency. "These deaths are clearly attributable to the Trump administration's increased and aggressive detention policies, and I have no doubt that when more complete investigations take place, it will likely provide information that these deaths were likely preventable," Eunice Cho, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) National Prison Project, told Newsweek in July. Democratic leaders and human rights activists have called out the center over reported conditions. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has repeatedly defended the center and has promoted the facility as a model for other states as a way to increase ICE detention capacity. "We need to double our capacity in detention beds because we need to facilitate getting people out of this country as fast as possible," Noem said in July during a press conference. ICE is struggling with limited capacity and resources to fulfill its mission of millions of deportations. President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and others, tour "Alligator Alcatraz," a new migrant detention facility at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility, on July 1 in Ochopee, Florida. President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and others, tour "Alligator Alcatraz," a new migrant detention facility at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility, on July 1 in Ochopee, Florida. AP Photo/Evan Vucci What People Are Saying Thomas Kennedy, a policy analyst and consultant at the Florida Immigration Coalition, wrote in an X post Saturday: "People detained at Alligator Alcatraz have had to remove fecal matter from the toilets with their bare hands because the toilets lose pressure due to lack of water. That's the sort of depraved conditions that drove those in detention there to ten days of hunger strike so far." Derrick Evans, former member of the West Virginia House and pardoned January 6, 2021 Capitol riot participant, wrote in an X post: "I'm glad the illegals at Alligator Alcatraz are on a hunger strike. Just saves the tax payers money by not having to feed them. I have no sympathy for any of them." Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost, a Florida Democrat, wrote in an X post about the center on Saturday: "438 veterans in Florida are taking a stand against the unconstitutional and illegal use of our military for immigration enforcement. I stand with them. We should be defending our nation, not using Marines to cage people." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in a July 25 X post: "We stood up Alligator Alcatraz in just eight days as a centralized facility for deportation staging. The facility has a two-mile runway that allows federal military aircraft to transport illegal aliens out of the country, right on site. These deportation flights operated by DHS are underway, and we will support efforts to increase cadence of the flights so that the number of illegal aliens deported keeps increasing." What Happens Next? It remains unclear when the hunger strike will end. In late July, deportation flights from the facility began and are expected to continue. Civil rights groups, including the ACLU, have filed lawsuits alleging "inhuman conditions" and lack of legal counsel at the center.
Politico
29 minutes ago
- Politico
How top Democrats are already gearing up for 2028 online
List-building signals candidates' ambitions for higher office, particularly with online fundraising a key pillar of successful Democratic campaigns over the past decade. By purchasing or renting Democratic donors' contact information, candidates can more effectively target potential supporters, introduce themselves to a national audience and convert some of those donors into their own. 'You want to build up a strong email and text list for a few reasons — it'll increase your name ID, you can raise money for other candidates, and then raise money for yourself,' said Mike Nellis, a Democratic digital consultant. 'If you're not spending money on growing the biggest possible audience for yourself right now, then you're being foolish. Frankly, all of them could be spending more money on it.' Leadership PACs also allow political figures in blue states to steer money to competitive races, including by directly donating to vulnerable candidates or state parties, or by fundraising on their behalf. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, for example, has long tapped his extensive email and text lists to raise money for other candidates. Such efforts help blue-state Democrats build relationships across the country and engender goodwill within the party. 'Investing in your leadership PAC money now is critical because you have to build your fundraising operation now.' —Pete Giangreco, Democratic consultant The PACs also run ads aimed at recruiting online backers. Newsom's leadership PAC, Campaign for Democracy, invested another $1.5 million in digital ads in late June, according to its filing. The PAC, which launched in 2023 with a major transfer from Newsom's gubernatorial campaign, reported $4.4 million cash on hand at the end of June. Digital advertising helps candidates expand their name recognition and recruit donors outside their home states. 'It's the small donations from folks like you that have the greatest impact,' read one ad that Beshear's PAC, In This Together, ran on Facebook in June. 'Your support helps us do what matters most: elect decent, compassionate leaders in Kentucky and nationwide.' Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear ran digital ads this year that focused on his home state but also reached a national audience. | AP Beshear's group, which has $496,000 cash on hand, spent $30,000 on digital advertising through the end of June, according to its FEC report. While Beshear's PAC has run Facebook ads that predominantly target his home state of Kentucky , it has also reached an audience across the country, according to data from Meta's digital ad library. Similarly, Facebook ads from Whitmer's group, Fight Like Hell PAC, have predominantly targeted Michigan users — but with some national promotion, too. Hers has $2.6 million cash on hand.
CNN
29 minutes ago
- CNN
Redrawn Texas congressional map advances as Republicans look to seize control of multiple Democratic seats
A Texas House panel on Saturday advanced a new congressional map as state Republicans power ahead with a strategy backed by President Donald Trump to help the GOP maintain the US House majority in the 2026 midterms. The map, unveiled earlier this week, attempts to make five Democratic congressional seats more favorable to Republicans. Texas Republicans argue the move is necessary over concerns that the current maps are unconstitutional and racially gerrymandered. Democrats have said it would suppress the votes of people of color. The Texas House redistricting committee voted along party lines Saturday to approve the map, setting up a full House vote. National Democrats have already vowed to sue the state if the map is passed. In what one US House Democrat described to CNN as a 'redistricting arms race,' Democratic governors in states like California have warned they will attempt the same tactics to help their party win more seats. US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his political team are exploring similar plans in California, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota and Washington state in hopes of flipping at least a handful of Republican seats next November. Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to win the House in the midterms. The new Texas map features 30 districts that Trump would have won in 2024 if the map was in place, up from 27 under the current district lines. In total, there are five more seats that Trump won by more than 10 percentage points, according to data from the Texas Legislative Council. The proposed map eliminates the Austin-area seat of Rep. Greg Casar, who would likely be forced into a primary with another liberal Democrat, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, in the Austin area. Multiple people close to Doggett have told CNN they do not expect him to bow out quietly and instead foresee the two battling it out in a primary. One of those people close to the senior House Democrat pointed out that he has $6.2 million cash on hand. In a statement this week, Doggett did not address the question of his future and said his 'sole focus' is defeating the new GOP map. Casar, for his part, vowed in a statement to 'fight back with everything we've got,' calling for voters to 'mobilize against this illegal map.' Republicans also propose merging the Houston-area seat of Rep. Al Green with a vacant seat held by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died in office earlier this year. Green's district was altered more than any other sitting member in the plan. Democrats expect Green to run in the new seat, though he may have to battle it out with some of the Democrats who were already running for the Turner seat. The map would also make two southern Texas seats — held by Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez — more Republican-leaning. But multiple Democrats view the seats as still in reach for the two centrist members who typically performed ahead of statewide or national Democrats. Trump has not yet weighed in on the proposed Texas map. CNN's Sarah Ferris and Ethan Cohen contributed to this report.
