By Patrick Davis

There was a time when Democrats in Congress were led by masters of the legislative chessboard — leaders who didn’t just count votes, they counted hearts, egos, and ambitions. Harry Reid in the Senate and Nancy Pelosi in the House ruled with an iron fist, and they knew how to read the room better than anyone else in it. Their populist instincts and cold-eyed political calculus made them ruthless but effective stewards of their party’s power.

Today, that clarity is gone.

As Washington once again grinds through a protracted government shutdown, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries seem to be lurching from one strategy to the next, desperately hoping that someone, anyone, will save them from their restless left flank. The result isn’t leadership; it’s drift.

Ironically, the Democrats most likely to bail Schumer and Jeffries out of their mess are not from the coasts or the progressive caucus, but from Colorado. U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper have little to lose by voting to reopen the government and chart a pragmatic course back to stability. Bennet, now a candidate for governor, sits atop a massive war chest — including a $500,000 infusion from a Michael Bloomberg–funded PAC. Hickenlooper faces no credible Democratic opposition in his 2026 reelection bid. Both men can afford to break ranks if it means ending the impasse and looking like the adults in the room.

This is what the Democratic Party once understood under Reid and Pelosi: politics is about leverage, not sentiment. Reid could twist arms and cut deals that kept his caucus in line, often with a mix of charm, menace, and tactical genius. Pelosi’s strength was her discipline — when she counted votes, she didn’t guess. She knew. Together, they kept their party marching in one direction, even when the terrain was rough.

Schumer and Jeffries, by contrast, seem caught in a permanent crouch — always reacting, never dictating. They’ve let the loudest voices on X become their conscience and the cable news cycle their calendar. What’s missing is the steely pragmatism of Reid and Pelosi — leaders who knew that winning in Washington sometimes meant taking the heat, cutting the deal, and moving on.

Democrats may not admit it publicly, but deep down, they miss the days when their leaders were feared, not pitied. The current chaos in Congress isn’t just about policy or ideology — it’s about a vacuum of competence. Until someone in their ranks decides to pick up Reid’s playbook and Pelosi’s gavel in spirit, the Democratic Party will keep learning the same painful lesson: power unused is power lost.

Patrick Davis

Colorado Springs

The author is a nationally recognized political strategist based in Colorado.

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