The Democratic National Committee is fracturing under its own weight. Union heavyweights Randi Weingarten and Lee Saunders, presidents of two massive labor organizations, have bolted from their at-large DNC roles, citing internal squabbles, as The Hill reports. Their departures expose a party struggling to keep its progressive house in order while conservatives watch with popcorn.
Weingarten, head of the 1.8-million-member American Federation of Teachers, and Saunders, leading the 1.3-million-strong American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, declined reappointment as DNC at-large members after endorsing Ben Wikler against Ken Martin in the DNC chair race earlier this year. DNC Chair Ken Martin, bruised from the contest, promptly axed both from the Rules and Bylaws Committee. The message? Cross the boss, and you’re out.
Weingarten’s letter to Martin, dated June 5, and Saunders’s, dated May 27, both pointed to “disagreements” with the DNC’s direction as their reason for stepping away. “While I am a proud Democrat, I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging,” Weingarten wrote, whining about the party’s failure to “enlarge our tent.” Sounds like the inclusive rhetoric progressives love doesn’t apply when you back the wrong horse.
Saunders echoed the sentiment, claiming the moment “demands unwavering focus” on workers’ rights. “This moment demands unwavering focus, discipline, and clarity,” he wrote to Martin. Yet, by airing their gripes publicly, both leaders seem more interested in drama than discipline.
A source close to the DNC wasn’t shocked by Weingarten’s exit, noting her “hyperintense” support for Wikler left her at odds with Martin’s regime. “Ever since the horse she bet on in the chair’s race lost, she has always been on the other side of the fence,” the source said. Loyalty, it seems, is a one-way street in Democrat land.
Another Democratic Party insider described Weingarten and Saunders as “bitter” over the chair race, accusing them of wanting to “blow up the DNC.” Martin, they insist, is just trying to keep the ship afloat. But when your crew jumps overboard, it’s hard to claim smooth sailing.
The timing of the letters’ leak -- Sunday evening -- raised eyebrows, with critics calling it a “distraction” from bigger issues. “The fact they decided to go public with this, on a matter that is internal, speaks volumes,” said John Verdejo, a DNC member from North Carolina. Public tantrums don’t exactly scream “united front.”
DNC Labor Council Chair Stuart Appelbaum tried to paper over the cracks, praising Martin’s leadership after Saunders’s exit was announced. But when two union giants walk away, no amount of spin can hide the rift. The party’s labor backbone is creaking.
Some Democrats privately admit Republicans made gains with union voters in 2024, a sore spot for a party that claims to own the working-class vote. “Republicans are starting to be viewed by union members as the party of the people who have to take a shower after work,” said strategist Douglas Wilson. Maybe workers are tired of the DNC’s sanctimonious lectures.
The drama doesn’t stop with unions. Last week, David Hogg, the gun-control-activist-turned-DNC-agitator, announced that he wouldn’t run for vice chair again after members voted to redo the elections that put him in the role. His group, Leaders We Deserve, which pushes to oust older House Democrats, had already ruffled feathers.
Weingarten, ever the contrarian, backed Hogg’s primary challenges in April, aligning herself with the party’s disruptive wing. “It’s very obvious to most that Randi was channeling that disappointment with the [chair] race through David Hogg,” a Democratic Party source sniped. Her exit letter, penned before Hogg’s decision, suggests she was already checked out.
Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, meanwhile, secured his DNC vice chair spot on Saturday, dodging the chaos. The party’s attempt to reset the vice chair race only underscores its obsession with internal power plays. Stability? Not in this circus.
Democratic Party strategist Douglas Wilson warned that the exits fuel a narrative of disunity. “It shows that we’re not united,” he said, lamenting that the focus shifts from policy to petty feuds. When your leaders are bickering, it’s tough to convince voters you’re ready to govern.
New York state Sen. James Skoufis downplayed the drama, claiming “zero daylight” between Martin and most DNC members. “There are always going to be a few members who are not going to be completely aligned,” he said. That’s a cute way to dismiss two union titans walking out the door.
Strategist Antjuan Seawright suggested Weingarten’s departure could open the door for “another generation of leadership.” But with the DNC bleeding influence and Republicans circling union voters, these public spats are a gift to conservatives. The left’s obsession with purity tests is its own worst enemy.
