A group of House Democrats, frustrated with the perceived weak and undefined brand of their party, have announced the formation of a new group called the New Economic Patriots. Representative Chris Deluzio, the 40-year-old second-term congressman from Pennsylvania, criticized his party members as spineless and called for a focus on economic populism to lead the party out of its crisis. This effort comes as Democrats in Washington are still grappling with how to move forward after their losses in the 2024 elections, with a politically fraught debate about their future direction.
Mr. Deluzio has highlighted his success in a competitive district in Pennsylvania as evidence of his ability to lead the party. He argues that the progressive and moderate labels are obsolete and that the entire party needs to be restructured around an economic populist message. He believes that the Democratic Party has been too focused on avoiding fights and naming corporate villains, and it is time for them to return to their working-class roots.
The New Economic Patriots group is made up of a mix of Democrats, including Representative Pramila Jayapal and Representative Pat Ryan. They are meeting regularly to develop a new platform and have circulated a five-page mission statement addressing what they see as a crisis in the party. Members like Representative Ro Khanna believe that the party needs to focus on economic issues that affect people’s pocketbooks and recognize the anger and pain felt by many voters.
The group aims to put lowering costs and addressing economic issues at the forefront of their message. They want to be clear about who the villains are in the current economic system and are critical of figures like Elon Musk and President Trump’s policies. Some of their colleagues are skeptical of the group’s objectives and question what they are trying to achieve. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez declined to participate in the group’s floor action, suggesting that there may be differing opinions within the party about the best path forward.
Mr. Deluzio sees this as just the beginning of their efforts to revamp the Democratic Party. The group plans to put forward a clear platform to resuscitate the party at a time when voters are seeking effective leadership to push back against the Trump administration. They believe that the focus on economic populism is the right message for Democrats and that there is an opportunity for a bigger revamp of the party to address the needs of working people. Leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have drawn large crowds with similar messages on fighting oligarchy and supporting working people, further indicating a shift in the party’s direction.
