Democrats have reportedly lost confidence in Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and are concerned she’s putting her personal ambition above the needs of the party.
“We say the big ‘D’ is for Democratic,” one member joked at this February’s House Democratic retreat, Politico reports. “For her, the big ‘D’ is always for Debbie.”
Dems are not happy with Schultz’s recent statement that Republican Governor Scott Walker “has given women the back of his hand.” Gov. Walker looks vulnerable against his opponent in the race, but her “ineptitude” has made her a liability in the state, a source told Politico. (RELATED: DNC Chair: Scott Walker Gives Women ‘The Back Of His Hand’)
But these doubts are apparently nothing new.
Schultz tried and failed to have the DNC pay for her clothing on multiple occasions, and had to be told to stand down, sources told Politico. And one of her first acts as chair was to call a meeting with the president in order to complain that she couldn’t hire a daughter of a donor.
President Barack Obama nearly replaced her following the 2012 election, Politico reports. But he didn’t want to lose her influence as a Jewish woman or deal with the politics of replacing a woman as chair.
She and the president rarely talk, and apparently Hillary Clinton isn’t a fan either.
A Democratic strategist told Politico there’s no way Schultz will remain chair if Hillary runs for president. “When you think about their operation and the operation they like to run, she will not be running it,” the strategist said.
A central worry is that she focuses too much on her career at the expense of the party. For example, Politico notes that she traveled to 99 cities in 37 states as of September on behalf of the DNC, but much of that time was planned and spent for her own benefit.
And she often sends mixed signals to potential donors about her priorities, since she often asks for donations to the DNC, her leadership PAC and/or her congressional committee, sources told Politico. Her PAC, called DWS, accepts donations from lobbyists, while the DNC does not, and is run by a guy who works for the DNC, DWS PAC and Schultz’s campaign.
“It stands for Democrats Win Seats,” she told Politico in an attempt to defend her PAC and deny DWS stands for Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “And that’s important. It stands for Democrats Win Seats.”
Schultz denied the tension, and insisted she will remain in office till 2017. “I am focused on doing this job,” she told Politico.