Indian-American Ro Khanna says he is 'not a Chuck Schumer Democrat'

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Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has declared himself “a New Deal Democrat, not a Chuck Schumer Democrat”, sharpening the criticism of his party’s leadership as he campaigned in Florida with state lawmaker Angie Nixon.

“I am a New Deal Democrat, not a Chuck Schumer Democrat,” Khanna, a Democrat from California, wrote on X on Wednesday.

“I’m in Florida campaigning with @AngieNixon because we need a Democratic Party that is not beholden to the donor class,” he said.

“That means more Angie Nixons in this party and fewer Chuck Schumers to lead the way forward,” Khanna added.

The post, which included a 57-second video, had been viewed more than 32,000 times by Wednesday night.

Schumer, of New York, is the Democratic leader in the US Senate.

Nixon is a progressive Democrat in the Florida legislature. 

Khanna did not say in the post what specific policy differences he had with Schumer. 

Khanna, who represents a Silicon Valley district, has increasingly positioned himself as a voice of the party’s progressive and populist wing, criticising corporate and big-donor influence in politics. 

He has campaigned for Democratic candidates in several states ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. 

His remarks add to a broader debate within the Democratic Party over its direction and leadership after the 2024 election losses, with several progressive lawmakers and activists calling for a generational change. 

Khanna has been widely seen as a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. He has not announced a bid. 

The New Deal refers to the economic programmes of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s, which expanded public works, social security and labour protections. Progressive Democrats have often invoked the term to describe their economic agenda.

Khanna is one of six Indian-American members of the House of Representatives. He is a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. 

Earlier this month, Khanna joined calls for a thorough Justice Department and FBI investigation into an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois.

The son of Indian immigrants, Khanna was first elected to Congress in 2016.

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