A former staffer for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats should unite around progressive firebrands Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
Leah Juliett, who uses “they/them” pronouns, spent a year on Capitol Hill in 2019 crafting messages for the Senate Democrats. Juliett penned an op-ed for Teen Vogue, placing “blame” on Schumer for the failings of the Democratic Party.
Juliett said that Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez proved that they “have a finger on the pulse of what young progressives are feeling and recognize the indignity of our current political climate.”
“In contrast, alternative progressive leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have proven to have a finger on the pulse of what young progressives are feeling and recognize the indignity of our current political climate,” Juliett wrote.
The former Schumer staffer continued, “Their advocacy for bold reform and work alongside grassroots movements like the Sunrise Movement appeals to young people because they address social justice issues directly and aggressively.”
DEM SENATOR ON SCHUMER FUTURE: ‘IMPORTANT’ TO KNOW ‘WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO’
Juliett praised the Sanders’ and Ocasio-Cortez teams’ expert use of social media and their digital strategies. Their social media skills she said, enables them to connect with young people, “forging genuine connections and deepening understanding of their positioning on the issues that matter most.”
Furthermore, Juliett claimed that the Democratic Party abandoned its core values and failed to represent the views of young voters and progressives.
“Today, Democrats, including Schumer, appear to be in disarray over an attempt to find a unified stance on transgender rights,” she wrote. “What once felt like a strong display of allyship now feels ambivalent, if not outright harmful,” Juliett said, raising concern over the future of LGBTQ rights and accusing the Democratic Party of engaging in “increasingly performative” politics over substance.
“Every day, I wrote essays that trapped me between the progressive principles I held and centrist compromises that felt like betrayals. Eventually, the disconnect between my ideals and the institution I served became impossible to ignore. Leaving my job in the Democratic Party wasn’t just a career move; it was survival,” Juliett said.
Juliett went on to write, “In recent years, Democrats like [California Gov. Gavin] Newsom and Schumer have embraced centrist, incremental approaches to issues that are fundamentally about humanity and dignity. That disconnect continues to push young voters away.”
“But it doesn’t stop with trans rights. Whether it’s watered-down climate policies or half-measures on student debt and health care, the Democratic Party’s reluctance to take bold, unapologetic stances clashes with what young people expect from a so-called progressive movement,” Juliett added.
AOC SHREDS SCHUMER FOR ‘TREMENDOUS MISTAKE’ OF CAVING TO GOP TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Juliett’s comments came after Schumer refused to step down from his leadership position as Democratic infighting worsens while the party struggles to agree on messaging to challenge President Donald Trump.
Democrats have increasingly criticized Schumer for breaking with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in supporting Republican-backed spending legislation to prevent a government shutdown.
Schumer has also dismissed reports of a potential primary challenge by progressive “Squad” member Ocasio-Cortez for his Senate seat.
Juliett explained further that young people “across the country” have fled the Democratic Party.
“While they’ll tell you that they have the support of young people, Democratic leaders like my former boss are increasingly alienating young voters and progressives alike due to ideological rigidity, inadequate policy responses, and a failure to address the evolving socio-political landscape,” Juliett said.
Schumer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
