New Dems Elect New Leadership Team, Induct New Members

WASHINGTON — The New Democrat Coalition has elected Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., to serve as its chair in the 118th Congress.

Reps. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., Brad Schneider, D-Ill., Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., and Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., were elected to be the next vice chairs. 

Current Chair Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., will serve as chair emeritus in the new Congress. 

 In addition, by a unanimous vote, the coalition inducted 17 members-elect to join it in the 118th Congress. 

The new freshmen members-elect then voted unanimously for Rep.-elect Nikki Budzinski, D-Ill., to serve as the freshman leadership representative. 

Now at 96 members, the New Democrat Coalition will continue to remain one of the largest House ideological caucuses.

“It has been an incredible honor and privilege to lead the New Democrat Coalition during the 117th Congress,” DelBene said. 

“Through our work as a coalition, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact our members have had in passing once-in-a-generation legislation to improve Americans’ lives,” she said, adding, “going into the 118th Congress, I am thrilled to pass the torch to NDC chair-elect Annie Kuster who will no doubt expertly guide our coalition through a closely divided Congress.”

For her part, Kuster asserted that it was members of the New Dem Coalition that stopped the anticipated and “much-heralded” red wave in its tracks.

“The narrower-than-anticipated GOP margin gives us tremendous leverage to govern from the middle and deliver real results for our constituents,” she said. “I will work with all corners of the coalition to stand united against radical policies that will move our country backward and my focus will be advancing our commonsense legislative priorities.”

In the coming days, Kuster will appoint additional members to the leadership team pursuant to the coalition’s bylaws. 

The coalition’s new inductees are Reps.-elect, Nikki Budzinski, of Illinois, Dr. Yadira Caraveo, of Colorado, Don Davis, of North Carolina, Valerie Foushee, of North Carolina, Val Hoyle, of Oregon, Glenn Ivey, of Maryland, Jeff Jackson, of North Carolina, Greg Landsman, of Ohio, Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, Jared Moskowitz, of Florida, Wiley Nickel, of North Carolina, Brittany Pettersen, of Colorado, Hillary Scholten, of Michigan, Eric Sorensen, of Illinois, Emilia Sykes, of Ohio, Shri Thanedar, of Michigan, and  Gabe Vasquez, of New Mexico.

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