During a recent "State of the Union" panel on CNN, senior political commentator Scott Jennings made a bold statement that has stirred debate among political circles. Jennings, a Republican strategist, argued that the true leader of the Democratic Party is none other than President Donald Trump. His assertion is based on the premise that the Democrats' primary unifying factor is their opposition to Trump's policies and rhetoric.
The conversation unfolded as the panel, including former DNC spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa, attempted to pinpoint who could be the emerging leaders within the Democratic Party. Hinojosa cited figures such as Sen. Ruben Gallego (AZ) and Sen. Cory Booker (NJ), but Jennings interjected, suggesting that the real influence driving the party was Trump himself.
Jennings opined, "Well, I mean, for the foreseeable future, the person who’s running the Democratic Party now is going to be running it, and that’s Donald Trump. I mean, the only thing they know how to do is be against whatever he is for." This statement was met with resistance from Democratic panelists, but host Jake Tapper quickly moved to diffuse the tension.
This provocative analysis comes at a time when the Democratic Party is facing internal challenges, including a lack of a clear leader and a unified message following electoral setbacks. Adding to their woes, the party has seen a decline in voter registration and approval ratings. A New York Times report highlighted a loss of approximately 2.1 million voters between the 2020 and 2024 elections. Meanwhile, Republicans have witnessed an uptick in registered voters, adding 2.4 million in the same period.
The Democratic Party's favorability rating has also taken a hit, with a CNN poll from March showing a mere 29 percent favorability, a significant drop from 49 percent in January 2021. These figures underscore the party's struggle to connect with the public and present a cohesive platform.
Recent events have further complicated the Democrats' position. The party has openly opposed Trump's military actions, including a recent incident where the U.S. military sank a vessel belonging to Venezuela's Tren de Aragua drug cartel, resulting in the deaths of 11 people. Critics, such as Independent Veterans of America founder Paul Rieckhoff, have called the action "alarming" and "dangerous," labeling Trump's unilateral decision as an abuse of military power. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) went further, demanding that Trump "face criminal charges" for his role in the strike.
Despite these challenges, some Democratic lawmakers remain optimistic about their chances in the upcoming midterm elections, believing they have the potential to flip control of the House of Representatives.
