NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Rep. Ro Khanna criticized Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s approach to party leadership while campaigning in Florida for Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon.
“I am a New Deal Democrat, not a Chuck Schumer Democrat,” Khanna wrote on social media Oct. 21. He said Democrats should not be “beholden to the donor class” and called for “more Angie Nixons in this party and fewer Chuck Schumers to lead the way forward.”
Khanna joined Nixon and Rep. Maxwell Frost at the University of Central Florida in Orlando for a student town hall on Oct. 20. The event was part of Khanna’s college tour, which included discussions with young voters about economic and political issues.
Nixon, a Florida state representative from Jacksonville, won the Democratic Senate primary in August with 56.1% of the vote, defeating retired Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman. Federal campaign filings showed Vindman had raised about $16.3 million through late July, compared with roughly $975,000 for Nixon.
Nixon is challenging Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, who was appointed to the seat after Marco Rubio became secretary of state. Nixon’s campaign has focused on the cost of housing, health care and child care. Her platform also includes Medicare for All, universal child care, a $25 federal minimum wage and higher taxes on billionaires.
Khanna’s post did not identify a specific policy disagreement with Schumer. It focused on campaign donors and the types of candidates he believes should lead the party. Schumer, as Senate Democratic leader, helps coordinate the caucus’s legislative strategy.
Khanna has used campaign appearances to promote economic policies, including public investment and partnerships with businesses to expand manufacturing and create jobs. He is also considering a possible 2028 presidential campaign.
Recent polls have shown Moody leading Nixon, though the margin varies by survey. The Florida Senate race will be decided on Nov. 3.
