Ambitious, young House Democrats have a problem: At a time when the party is calling for generational change, there are few opportunities to advance.
Leadership has long been static for Democrats in the House. Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and Jim Clyburn, the top three Democrats, respectively, have all been at the top of the House Democratic ladder for more than a decade. And none have shown any signs of leaving; Pelosi has said she expects to be speaker if Democrats retake the House in November.
That stagnation has some Democrats worried that their caucus is bleeding talent, and it has left two options for the party’s rising stars — try to work their way up outside of the traditional leadership structure or head for the exits.
In conversations with BuzzFeed News over the last few months, Democrats have pointed to varying ways that newer members have sought relevance within a party that has traditionally prioritized experience and required members put in time before they get to run the show. Their solutions and complaints show a bubbling frustration with the current system, from who fills the top leadership posts to the party’s choice to prioritize seniority to fill high-ranking committee spots.
“I had been there for four years when I decided to run for the Senate, and I was at the point where I was either going to have to stick around for another 20 in order to become chairman of a committee or look to find another place to make a difference,” Sen. Chris Murphy told BuzzFeed News.
“I thought I was making a difference in the House, but it was not particularly appetizing to look at having to fight for relevance for the next decade before I even sniffed of a significant subcommittee chairmanship,” Murphy said.
He’s not alone in that sentiment. Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton, a frequent critic of his own party's leadership, said that promising Democrats are leaving the House “all the time” because they see no upward mobility. “They see no path forward, and they’re often not even respected for their contributions.”
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