Sen. Cory Booker is criticizing his own party, saying Democrats need new leadership after the release of a troubled internal review of the party’s 2024 election losses.
Booker made the comments during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” where he said he has been frustrated with the Democratic Party for a long time.
The New Jersey Democrat said the Democratic National Committee needs to do better if the party wants to meet the current political moment.
“The Democratic Party desperately needs new leadership,” Booker said.
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His remarks came after the DNC faced backlash over a draft review of the party’s 2024 election defeat. The document reportedly contained typos, missing sections, incorrect data and limited sourcing, prompting criticism from Democrats across the party.
Progressives also criticized the review for failing to focus enough on major internal concerns, including the Israel-Hamas war and questions about former President Joe Biden’s age during the campaign.
DNC Chairman Ken Martin acknowledged that the draft was not ready for public release, saying it was not “ready for primetime.”
Booker declined to say exactly which Democratic leaders he believes should be replaced. He also denied that his criticism was aimed specifically at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The senator said he does not want Democrats to become consumed by internal fights. He argued that Republicans would benefit if Democrats spend more time attacking each other than focusing on issues affecting Americans.
Booker said the party should be focused on problems such as rising costs and Americans losing health insurance.
His comments reflect broader frustration inside the Democratic Party as members debate what went wrong in 2024 and how the party should move forward before the next election cycle.
The backlash over the DNC review has added pressure on Democratic leadership at a time when the party is still trying to rebuild its message and strategy after losing power.
Booker said Democrats need new leadership after backlash over the party’s 2024 election review.
Dem NJ Sen. Cory Booker trashes own party: ‘Desperately needs new leadership’ https://t.co/6hIQ7Lfh1t pic.twitter.com/xms87m6xE2
— New York Post (@nypost) May 24, 2026
