Division Among the Democrats

For four years, Democrats had been united behind the mission of defeating President Trump.

But after the election of Joe Biden, the party’s disappointing showing in congressional races — losing seats in the House and facing a struggle for even narrow control of the Senate — has exposed the rifts between progressives and moderates.

In interviews with The New York Times, House members on each side of that divide — Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Representative Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania — shared their views about how the Democrats can win back support in local races.

We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: nytimes.com/thedailysurvey

Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a national political reporter for The New York Times.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily

Background reading:

• In the wake of Joe Biden’s victory, the divides that have long simmered among Democrats are now beginning to burst into the open.
• In an interview with The New York Times, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dismissed criticism from House moderates and said the next few weeks would set the tone for how the incoming administration would be received by liberal activists.
• Representative Conor Lamb told The Times that he expected the Biden team to govern as it had campaigned: with progressives at arm’s length.

Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.