As the United States barrels toward the 2026 midterm elections, the Democratic Party finds itself at a crossroads, grappling with a leadership vacuum that threatens to deepen internal divisions and complicate its path to electoral success. Nearly a year after the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, and with just over a year until voters return to the polls, Democrats remain without a clear standard-bearer, leaving the party adrift and vulnerable to infighting.
This void at the top was created by former President Joe Biden’s early withdrawal from the 2024 race, followed by former Vice President Kamala Harris’s unsuccessful campaign. The absence of a unifying figure has allowed prominent progressive voices—like New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, "Squad" leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders—to dominate the conversation, often to the chagrin of more moderate liberals hoping to avoid a repeat of recent electoral setbacks. According to AMAC Newsline, this dynamic has left the party in a state of flux, with the loudest and most theatrical figures increasingly shaping its public image.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, once seen as a potential stabilizer, has faced sharp criticism from liberal allies for what many perceive as leadership failures. The discord is further fueled by lingering resentment over Biden’s candidacy last year, with former staffers from both Biden’s and Harris’s teams locked in a protracted blame game about the party’s 2024 defeat. The publication of CNN host Jake Tapper’s book, Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, earlier this year only stoked the fires, igniting a storm of finger-pointing and reopening old wounds on the left.
The tension shows no sign of abating. Harris’s own memoir, 107 Days, is set for release next month and is widely expected to deepen party divisions. Political journalist Mark Halperin recently told Fox News that Biden and Harris are on a "collision course"—a rift that could accelerate with the memoir’s publication. Halperin also revealed that Biden aides are "prepared to release unflattering stories about their efforts to prepare former Vice President Kamala Harris for a potential run if she comes after him." He warned that the Democratic Party could be heading toward a "train wreck" in the 2026 midterms if the current trajectory continues.
Even Harris herself has acknowledged the leadership vacuum, telling CBS’s Stephen Colbert, "There’s lots of leaders." Colbert, however, was quick to retort, "There’s generally a leader." The exchange underscored the party’s predicament: when everyone is in charge, no one is in charge.
The absence of a clear leader has opened the door for attention-seeking figures to step into the spotlight, sometimes to the party’s detriment. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) recently drew headlines—and controversy—after a fiery speech on the Senate floor, where he accused colleagues of "complicity with an authoritarian leader who is trashing our country," referring to former President Trump. According to the Washington Free Beacon, even progressive Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) was unimpressed, suggesting Booker should have aired his objections in committee rather than on the Senate floor. Booker’s actions, which included breaking the Senate’s filibuster record, have become fodder for fundraising and a new book deal, but have done little to unify the party.
Meanwhile, in the House, Representative Jasmine Crockett has worked to elevate her profile as a leading voice of the anti-Trump resistance. Known for her expletive-filled tirades during committee hearings, Crockett’s approach has reportedly alienated many of her Democratic colleagues and even her own staff. As The Atlantic reported, 33 House Democrats declined to comment on Crockett for a recent profile, while her staffers have described her as a "diva" who creates a toxic work environment.
The party’s internal struggles are not limited to personalities. The emergence of self-described socialist Zohran Mamdani as the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor has exposed deep socioeconomic fissures. After his nomination in June, Mamdani declared, "I don’t think that we should have billionaires because, frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality, and ultimately, what we need more of is equality across our city and across our state and across our country." This stance has put him at odds with wealthy Democrats like Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who responded, "How much money you have doesn’t determine what your values are, and I’m a Democrat because I believe that everyone deserves health care." Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, both affluent themselves, have nonetheless rallied around Mamdani, further highlighting the party’s internal contradictions.
Republicans have been quick to exploit these divisions. Just this week, House Republicans launched a scathing advertisement tying Mamdani to 25 vulnerable House Democrats in swing districts, seeking to paint the party as out of touch with mainstream voters. Historically, the opposition party tends to perform well in midterms, and with Republicans holding only a razor-thin majority in the House, Democrats should, in theory, have a strong chance of reclaiming at least one chamber of Congress. Yet, as AMAC Newsline points out, their success will likely hinge on whether they can present a unified message—a prospect that seems increasingly remote.
The party’s struggles are also playing out at the state level. In Iowa, Democrat J.D. Scholten, a two-term state House representative and well-known populist, announced on August 18 that he was withdrawing from the Iowa Senate primary. Scholten’s exit followed pressure from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) to clear the field for fellow state House member Josh Turek, whom Scholten has now endorsed. According to The Intercept, Scholten initially denied plans to drop out or feeling pressure from national Democrats, but reversed course, stating, "This wasn’t true last week, but I am dropping out, and I am endorsing Turek. It’s not because of pressure from the DSCC, though."
Turek’s campaign has emphasized his populist credentials and his close relationship with Scholten. "He is a prairie populist who first ran for office to fight back against the privatization of Medicaid in Iowa and will reject corporate PAC money in this campaign," said Brendan Koch, Turek’s campaign manager. The DSCC, led by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, has faced criticism for aggressively intervening in primaries to support establishment-friendly candidates, a move that has frustrated grassroots activists and anti-corporate Democrats alike.
Scholten’s withdrawal provides a boost to Turek, who is seen as well-positioned to capitalize on incumbent Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s recent gaffes regarding Medicaid. Turek, born with spina bifida, has made Medicaid coverage a central issue in his legislative career. However, he still faces a competitive primary field, including Iowa state Senator Zach Wahls, Des Moines School Board chair Jackie Norris, and anti-corporate newcomer Nathan Sage.
As the Democratic Party stares down a crucial election cycle, the stakes could hardly be higher. Without a clear leader or unified message, the risk of further fragmentation looms large, threatening to undermine the party’s prospects just as Republicans look to solidify their gains. The coming months will test whether Democrats can bridge their divides—or whether the current chaos will set the stage for another round of political disappointment.
