The question behind the vicious generational fight Democrats are having is simple: Who can actually save the party? As New York's Rebecca Traister reports, the Establishment — baby-boomers and older — are convinced only they can right the ship. But the party’s most promising young stars are equally as frantic about the future of the country. “The Trump regime is so corrupt and so authoritarian in their way of operating that saying, ‘Oh, we’re in the minority and we can’t pass a bill,’ just isn’t going to be enough,” Yassamin Ansari, a Phoenix representative and the youngest woman in Congress, told reporter Kaleigh Rogers. “My generation doesn’t have patience.”
For our annual “Power” issue, we dug deep into old versus young. Rebecca got into the psychology of the experienced elected officials with burnished résumés and real power. And Matt Stieb and Kaleigh reported on 25 of the most important leaders of the party’s next generation, whom we identified over the course of several months, talking with professionals who recruit and support young candidates and then interviewing those young candidates. We also chatted about them with dozens of political operatives, strategists, and consultants, who were all granted anonymity so they could dish candidly. Many of the under-40 crowd are unknown, untested, and present real risks, which is exactly what Senator Chuck Schumer and his cohort are trying desperately to avoid. But as Trump continues his unprecedented power grab and the Democratic Party is bleeding support, playing it safe could be the most dangerous option. “It’s certainly not the first time an old world has been dying as a new world struggles to be born,” Rebecca writes. “But each age is gifted its own specific monsters, and ours are doozies.”
—Natalie Shutler, features editor, New York
