Democratic congressional candidates across the U.S. are turning their anger inward, lashing out at their party’s leadership and accusing it of weakness in confronting President Donald Trump’s administration.
In interviews with Axios, dozens of Democratic hopefuls said the party establishment has failed to meet the political moment since Trump’s return to office, fueling frustration among the liberal grassroots.
Enraged Democratic candidates turn on their leaders: "You've got to be able to fight ugly" https://t.co/JRzDT6SNRR
— Axios (@axios) October 21, 2025
Texas state Rep. Jolanda Jones said she is “not a ‘go high’ kind of girl,” vowing to fight ruthlessly.
Former Houston councilwoman Amanda Edwards and progressive influencer Kat Abughazaleh echoed the call for a more aggressive stance, while Saikat Chakrabarti, challenging Rep. Nancy Pelosi, warned of an “authoritarian coup.”
Dem congressional candidates nationwide, feeding off voter fury, are raging against their leadership & vowing to fight their own establishment.
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) October 21, 2025
"I am not a 'when they go low, we go high' kind of girl,” said one. “If they go low, I'm going to the gutter." https://t.co/MXEE93k7Vz
Many candidates are refusing to back House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker, signaling a rebellion within the ranks.
With multiple retirements and primary battles underway, Democrats face what some describe as their own “Tea Party” moment of internal reckoning.
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Paul Sperry
