-Source-Buzzfeed News-
Ambitious, young House Democrats have a problem: At a time when the party is calling for generational change, there are few opportunities to advance.
Leadership has long been static for Democrats in the House. Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and Jim Clyburn, the top three Democrats, respectively, have all been at the top of the House Democratic ladder for more than a decade. And none have shown any signs of leaving; Pelosi has said she expects to be speaker if Democrats retake the House in November.
That stagnation has some Democrats worried that their caucus is bleeding talent, and it has left two options for the party’s rising stars — try to work their way up outside of the traditional leadership structure or head for the exits.
In conversations with BuzzFeed News over the last few months, Democrats have pointed to varying ways that newer members have sought relevance within a party that has traditionally prioritized experience and required members put in time before they get to run the show. Their solutions and complaints show a bubbling frustration with the current system, from who fills the top leadership posts to the party’s choice to prioritize seniority to fill high-ranking committee spots. Read more
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