WASHINGTON — Democratic National Committee Chairwoman [crscore]Debbie Wasserman Schultz[/crscore] confirmed to The Daily Caller Wednesday she is confident going into the July convention in Philadelphia, but others in her party are openly speculating whether she is preparing to leave by the end of the year.
Following a report from The Hill Tuesday saying that some in the party want to see her replaced as DNC chair, Democratic House members acknowledged the tension in the party, but said they expect that the intra-party conflict will be resolved by the convention.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and his supporters have accused her of tilting the playing field toward Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary.
“I have to make sure that we prepare for the general election to elect a Democratic president,” Wasserman Schultz told reporters Wednesday. “That is what I am singularly focused on while we wrap up the Democratic primary.”
A senior House Democrat told TheDC he believes Wasserman Schultz will be fine whether or not she continues as chair after the November election.
She is “caught between a rock and a hard place,” the House member said on the condition of anonymity. “But to be honest with you, I’m not even too sure she wants [to be the DNC chair].”
One DNC member told CNN that Wasserman Schultz expects to leave the DNC position by the end of the year but “doesn’t want to be looked at as sacrificed at Bernie’s altar.”
Arizona Democratic Rep. [crscore]Raúl Grijalva[/crscore], a Sanders supporter, voiced concern with her leadership. “When you are talking about unity, there has to be a different attitude,” Grijalva explained. “If she’s not capable of that attitude, then you obviously find somebody who can.”
New York Democratic Rep. [crscore]Steve Israel[/crscore] expressed sympathy for her.
“I think we make a mistake by assuming Debbie Wasserman Schultz is the issue. Democratic unity is the issue and what worries me is how can we get Democratic unity when all we’re talking about is divisiveness,” Israel told The Daily Caller.
He added that he does not believe his Long Island constituents care very much about the Democratic Party’s organizational squabbles.
“I was chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. I get what she’s going through. Every morning, and I haven’t always seen eye to eye with her, but every morning I would wake up with people angry at me. Every night I would go to bed with even more people angry at me,” Israel said.
He explained, “Some of the anger was justified because of the mistakes I made, and some of the anger was not justified. That’s what leadership is all about. You gotta keep your eye on the ball. That’s unity for Democrats and going on to beat Donald Trump in the general.”
A House Democrat who spoke with TheDC on background said, “I can’t wrap my head around” the conflict, adding that it is important for Democrats to unify. “It is a critical time right now. … It’s very sensitive.”
Another House Democrat believes the bickering is par for the course during an open presidential primary.
“It happened 8 years ago, but I think we’re in good shape. … We’ll come back together again,” he said.
Fellow Florida Democrat [crscore]Alan Grayson[/crscore], who is having his own intra-party conflict with Senate Minority Leader [crscore]Harry Reid[/crscore], agreed.
“Yes, I’m pretty sure she is going to remain after the election,” Grayson said.