On The Hill

DEM CIVIL WAR: Slotkin Blasts Party Leadership, ‘Old Models Are No Longer Working’

posted by Hannity Staff - 6.26.26

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) is calling for a major shake-up inside the Democratic Party, arguing its current leadership and messaging failed voters after Republicans swept the 2024 elections.

Appearing Wednesday on SiriusXM’s Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Smith, the Michigan senator said Democrats are engaged in an ongoing debate over the party’s future but insisted the answer requires more than minor adjustments.

“Every day there’s a debate within the party about the path forward,” Slotkin said. “That’s why I believe we need significant new leadership. The old models are no longer working, and that includes the Democratic Party.”

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Slotkin, who won reelection in battleground Michigan while many fellow Democrats struggled, said her party lost sight of what voters cared about most.

“Democrats were soundly defeated in 2024. I was in a swing state, and I won that same year,” she said. “To me, the lesson was simple. Democrats had too many priorities. They tried to make everyone happy and answer every question. When you prioritize everything, no one knows what you actually stand for.”

She contrasted that approach with President Donald Trump’s successful campaign message.

“Donald Trump came in with one clear message,” Slotkin said. “He said, ‘I’m going to make your life more affordable. I’m going to put more money in your pocket.’ He won because he kept his message simple and focused on the issue Americans cared most about.”

The comments echo a speech Slotkin delivered earlier this week, when she urged Democrats to return their focus to core economic concerns instead of trying to address every issue at once.

“We just need to show people that what we care about is an economy where if you work hard and play by the rules, you get ahead, and your kids do better,” she said.

Slotkin’s call for new leadership comes as ideological divisions inside the Democratic Party have intensified following a string of victories by democratic socialist candidates in New York’s Democratic primaries. Several of those candidates were backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose campaign centered on affordability and economic issues facing working-class voters.

While Ken Martin has worked to unite competing factions since becoming Democratic National Committee chair in early 2025, Slotkin suggested broader leadership changes will be necessary if Democrats hope to rebuild after their 2024 losses.

More over at The Hill: