The center-left New Democrat Coalition (NDC) voted on Wednesday to elect Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) as chair to lead the effort to push for the moderate policies the House caucus promotes in the 119th Congress.
Previous NDC Chair Rep. Annie Custer (D-N.H.) praised Schneider as the practical, commonsense leader “needed more than ever.”
“In fact, New Dems not only helped reelect 85 of our returning members, we’re bringing in 23, maybe 24, and maybe 25, new members of the coalition.”
He said the total number of new members in the new Congress will be 108 to 110, which will make the NDC a majority of the Democratic caucus for the first time.
The key to the NDC’s success is its ability to hear voters on issues that will improve their lives, he said.
“Having that understanding with the breadth and diversity of our coalition is going to help bring Democrats back into the majority in the next Congress in 2026,” Schneider said.
“We know what voters are looking for. We know how to tackle the challenges.”
He said the NDC will work to hold the incoming Trump administration accountable and that 23 other confirmed new members will “bring a whole host of new ideas.”
“All of our members will have a chance to succeed,” he said. “We will help them make sure that they advance the interests and priorities of the districts they represent.”
“The Coalition’s primary goal is to find workable solutions to the most pressing issues facing our nation—from ensuring every American has access to quality health care to increasing affordable housing in every community,” the website states.
New Vice Chair Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.) said the NDC has a stronger position in the next Congress to “push for issues that matter most to the American people” while looking forward.
“This Congress, we should be preparing a legislative agenda that is also actionable in 2026 when we take back the House majority,” she said.
