1. United States
2. Hawaii
3. Letter

As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to vote for fresh, competitive leadership when the 120th Congress convenes in January 2027. The votes for House Speaker and Senate Democratic Leader shape our party’s national strategy, legislative priorities, and core values. For too long, leadership elections have been treated as foregone conclusions. Both House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer represent an establishment approach that routinely trades strategic leverage for backroom compromise and donor interests. Before casting your leadership ballot, consider these recurring strategic failures: Surrendering Legislative Leverage: Both leaders consistently prioritize institutional decorum over transformative policy. Schumer repeatedly ceded early leverage during debt-ceiling and budget fights, accepting spending caps. Jeffries backed deals like the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which imposed spending cuts and work requirements on vulnerable families rather than forcing structural fights. Protecting the Establishment Over Grassroots Energy: Leadership routinely insulates incumbents instead of welcoming democratic accountability. Jeffries backed super PAC efforts designed to blunt progressive primary challengers, while Schumer’s Senate campaign arm repeatedly intervened in open primaries to handpick establishment candidates over grassroots-backed contenders. Corporate and Financial Sector Influence: Both leaders rely heavily on high-dollar donor networks. Schumer has consistently softened financial sector oversight to protect Wall Street and private equity interests, while Jeffries has drawn sharp criticism for stepping back from universal healthcare policies after taking millions from corporate and real estate PACs. As our representative, your duty is to the voters who built the Democratic coalition—not party elites or corporate donors. I strongly urge you to oppose automatic re-election for current leadership, encourage alternative candidates to step forward, and vote for a new direction in January 2027. Democrats across the country deserve a choice, and we are counting on you to represent that choice. Sincerely