Democrats in Disarray: Hakeem Jeffries' Leadership Spot in Jeopardy as Most Candidates Refuse to Voice Support

New York Democrat Hakeem Jeffries may soon find himself on shaky ground within his own party, as a new report reveals widespread reluctance among potential House Democrats to support his leadership.

Jeffries, who succeeded Nancy Pelosi as House Minority Leader in 2022, is facing a cold reception from the next wave of Democratic candidates. According to Axios, the outlet contacted every Democrat with a plausible path to victory in the 2026 midterm elections — 113 in total. The results were striking:

• Roughly 20 said they would not support Jeffries as minority leader or speaker, with five explicitly pledging to vote against him.
• Another 57 refused to commit, citing “differences in values,” “strategic disagreements,” or dissatisfaction with the party’s messaging.
• Only 24 declared firm support for Jeffries’ continued leadership.

While those numbers might suggest a growing appetite for moderation, the reality is quite the opposite. The dissatisfaction doesn’t come from a desire to tone down divisive politics — it stems from frustration that Jeffries isn’t aggressive enough in attacking President Donald Trump and his administration.

New Hampshire state lawmaker and Democratic congressional hopeful Heath Howard told Axios, “I think we need to have a new type of leadership that’s… going to fight back significantly harder against the Trump administration.”

Similarly, Saikat Chakrabarti, another Democratic candidate, criticized Jeffries’ hesitation to endorse radical New York City mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani, mocking the minority leader’s noncommittal response: “What is it that Hakeem said about endorsing Zohran? ‘I’ll have conversations with him and see where it goes.’”

Even some current Democratic lawmakers privately admit there’s tension within the ranks. One anonymous member of Congress told Axios, “There is a frustration from our voters at leadership in both houses.”

Still, establishment Democrats insist Jeffries remains safe for now. Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois pushed back, saying, “New Dems have talked to over 150 candidates. Every one of them is focused on one thing — winning the majority and making Hakeem Jeffries Speaker.”

But the Axios report paints a different picture — one of a fractured party with a restless base increasingly defined by its hostility toward President Trump rather than any coherent policy vision.

Jeffries’ own social media feeds show his fixation with attacking Republicans and President Trump, leaving little room for ideas that might actually help working Americans. Yet, among the new Democratic hopefuls, that level of partisanship apparently isn’t enough. They want a leader even more obsessed with opposing the Trump agenda — no matter how destructive that might be for the country.

If these are the Democrats of tomorrow, the party’s future looks even more radical, reactionary, and disconnected from everyday Americans than it already is.