Washington, October 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has sharpened his criticism of the Democratic Party’s leadership, declaring that he is a “New Deal Democrat, not a Chuck Schumer Democrat” while campaigning in Florida with progressive state lawmaker Angie Nixon.
“I am a New Deal Democrat, not a Chuck Schumer Democrat,” Khanna, a California Democrat, wrote on X on Wednesday.
“I’m in Florida campaigning with @AngieNixon because we need a Democratic Party that is not beholden to the donor class,” he said, adding, “That means more Angie Nixons in this party and fewer Chuck Schumers to lead the way forward.”
Khanna’s post included a 57-second video and had attracted more than 32,000 views by Wednesday night. He did not specify particular policy disagreements with Schumer, the Democratic leader in the US Senate.
Nixon is a progressive member of the Florida legislature. Khanna has increasingly positioned himself as a voice of the Democratic Party’s progressive and populist wing, frequently criticising corporate influence and the role of wealthy donors in politics.
He has campaigned for Democratic candidates in several states ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. His remarks come amid a wider debate over the party’s direction and leadership following its losses in the 2024 elections, with progressive lawmakers and activists calling for generational change.
Khanna has been mentioned as a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, although he has not announced a bid.
The term “New Deal” refers to the economic programmes introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s, which expanded public works, social security and labour protections. Progressive Democrats often invoke the legacy to advocate an economic agenda focused on working people.
Khanna, one of six Indian-American members of the House of Representatives, is also a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. The son of Indian immigrants, he was first elected to Congress in 2016 and represents a Silicon Valley district in California.
Earlier this month, he joined calls for a thorough Justice Department and FBI investigation into an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois.
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