WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Representative Ro Khanna called for new leadership within the Democratic Party as he called Tuesday’s 2024 elections a “colossal defeat.” The Democratic congressman from California’s 17th District spoke to the need for a new generation of leadership after the party incurred many losses both in the presidential and congressional races.
Progressive Khanna-the tech regulatory and labor advocate-expressed disappointment with his party in key battleground Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin places where Democrats lost significant votes to the Republicans. Through a set of interviews published after election day, he called his colleagues to an urgent question: whether current party leaders are out of touch.
“It is evident from the results that we need to re-evaluate our approach and leadership,” Khanna said. “The American people want bold, visionary policies, but we failed to communicate that effectively. It is time for new voices to step up and guide us forward.”
The Democratic Party has been in internal conflict between the center and the left wings, with many of the new members, including Khanna, demanding greater militancy on several fronts, including the reforming of health care, tackling climate change, and campaign finance reform. It was evident that the party in the 2024 election cycle was under full public scrutiny as it tried to hold together a disparate coalition of voters.
Democrats maintained control of some strongholds, but lost ground in many areas of suburbia and rural districts which had been the linchpin of their recent electoral success. Analysts point out voter dissatisfaction with the economy, including voters’ increasing concern about inflation as salient factors in explaining Republican victories. But Khanna conceded those challenges when asserting that the party failed to effectively sell its message to working-class voters, particularly in battleground states.
“We need leadership that understands the economic anxieties people are facing,” said Khanna. “We should be focusing on jobs, healthcare, and ensuring that technology and innovation benefit all Americans, not just a few. Our party needs to connect with those everyday concerns.”
Khanna’s comments are part of even larger conversations about the Democratic Party’s future. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.; Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; and others have answered calls for change. The new election results are a wake-up call, propelling even more reflection as the party looks to regain its momentum before the 2026 midterm.
Khanna hopes that new leadership will be able to chart a path forward for Democrats. “This is not the end, he said. “We still have an opportunity to fight for a better future, but we need the right people leading that fight.”
