Nearly a week after suffering a resounding defeat led by Donald Trump, the Democratic Party is struggling to regroup amid turmoil.
At least two dozen protesters, some allied with Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter, staged a sit-in at the Washington office of Sen. Charles Schumer, next in line to lead Democrats in the Senate.
“Forward together, not one step back!” the young protesters chanted in unison, according to a video of the event posted on social media.
Schumer has been criticized for his close ties to Wall Street and his failure to help Democrats perform better in the election.
The disgruntled are not limited to the grass roots — a group of nearly 30 Democratic members of Congress wrote a letter to the top Democrat in the House, Nancy Pelosi, asking for a delay in congressional leadership elections for the next Congress.
“It is vital that our Caucus take the time to listen to the American people and learn the lessons of this difficult election in order to put our Caucus in the best position to fight the potentially dangerous agenda of President-elect Donald Trump and to have a realistic chance of taking back the House in 2018,” the members wrote.
One signer, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, later asked for his name to be removed.
Ryan had refused to rule out challenging Pelosi for her spot in the Democratic leadership.
The minority party also is contending with a fierce Democratic National Committee leadership rivalry.
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D-Vermont) are the two most vocal contenders for the position.