"There are more coming": House Democrats' headaches are about to get much worse

Progressive groups, emboldened by the Democratic grassroots' extreme dissatisfaction at their party's older establishment, are preparing to go big in their efforts to unseat Democratic lawmakers.Why it matters: Three months into the new Congress, more than half a dozen House Democrats already are facing primary challengers. That number is about to skyrocket.DNC vice chair David Hogg, whose group Leaders We Deserve is spending $20 million to primary incumbents to the chagrin of many House Democrats, told Axios: "Some truly generational leaders will be announcing their campaigns very soon."Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats, told Axios the number of House Democrats who ultimately draw serious challengers "could be dozens — it could be a large portion of the caucus.""I have talked to folks who have been thinking about jumping into these primary races who haven't come out yet," said Amanda Litman, founder of Run For Something. "There are more coming."By the numbers: At least seven House Democrats — nearly all north of 70 years old — are staring down primary challenges from younger insurgents.In some cases, the age gap is yawning: 85-year-old former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is facing 39-year-old political operative and software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti.Of this group, three incumbents, including Pelosi, have not said whether they will seek reelection in 2026. Reps. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), André Carson (D-Ind.) and Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) are running, spokespeople told Axios. So is Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.What they're saying: Litman said when her group was founded in 2017 — despite it only working on state and local races and not on the congressional level— she "would get a lot of people really mad at me.""Now, we get almost the opposite reaction," she said. "I think the dam has broken because of [former President] Biden ... so clearly demonstrating the danger that comes with leaders staying in too long."Andrabi told Axios: "The mood amongst the Democratic base is so overwhelming that people don't need an excuse to get in and challenge the sort of 'Do Nothing Democrats' right now."Said Adam Green of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee: "Anybody who ... sees the only opposition party at a record low approval would want to change the face of the party."Data: Axios research; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios VisualsZoom in: Investment analyst Katie Bansil, 33, said she challenged Pallone, 73, primarily over "big differences" in their views on environmental and foreign policy. Now, age is emerging as another "big reason.""I echo ... a lot of the sentiment lately. The landscape when he first ran in [1988], versus now, is so different," she said. "It's time to turn the page."Everton Blair, a 34-year-old school board member pursuing the seat held by Scott, 79, said he decided to run after a town hall meeting at which Scott brushed off his concerns about combating the Trump administration."Republicans have actually done a better job than Democrats at creating youth opportunities on their bench ... we need to shift gears," he said.Zoom out: These primary battles are just the latest front in a generational civil war that has been tearing the Democratic Party apart for the better part of a year.Biden's withdrawal from the Democratic ticket last July was a watershed moment.That was followed by House Democrats breaking with tradition and pushing out three of their oldest committee leaders, including Scott.Trump's efforts to dismantle the federal government have kicked things into overdrive, with activists all but writing off any Democrat who they think isn't meeting the urgency of the moment.Yes, but: Those in this new crop of insurgents — many of whom are political neophytes and, in some cases, outsiders to their districts — will have to prove they can replicate the success of The Squad.That includes raising the kind of money they will need to overcome the outside help many establishment Democrats are likely to receive.House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), in a Sunday appearance on ABC's "This Week," said he looks forward to "standing behind every single Democratic incumbent."Some challengers appear to be raising the necessary cash: Kat Abughazaleh raked in nearly $379,000 in just eight days after the 26-year-old launched her campaign against Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), who is now expected to retire.The bottom line: "Even in April, a year out from a Democratic primary ... we're at seven [primary challenges], and none of those are ours," said Andrabi. "There's going to be a lot of people across the country that we may not get involved in that are just like, 'I don't give a s**t, I don't need organizational support, I'm here to primary this person because this person sucks.'"

Progressive groups, emboldened by the Democratic grassroots' extreme dissatisfaction at their party's older establishment, are preparing to go big in their efforts to unseat Democratic lawmakers.Why it matters: Three months into the new Congress, more than half a dozen House Democrats already are facing primary challengers. That number is about to skyrocket.

DNC vice chair David Hogg, whose group Leaders We Deserve is spending $20 million to primary incumbents to the chagrin of many House Democrats, told Axios: "Some truly generational leaders will be announcing their campaigns very soon."Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats, told Axios the number of House Democrats who ultimately draw serious challengers "could be dozens — it could be a large portion of the caucus.""I have talked to folks who have been thinking about jumping into these primary races who haven't come out yet," said Amanda Litman, founder of Run For Something.

"There are more coming."By the numbers: At least seven House Democrats — nearly all north of 70 years old — are staring down primary challenges from younger insurgents.In some cases, the age gap is yawning: 85-year-old former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.

) is facing 39-year-old political operative and software engineer Saikat Chakrabarti.Of this group, three incumbents, including Pelosi, have not said whether they will seek reelection in 2026. Reps.

Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), André Carson (D-Ind.) and Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.

) are running, spokespeople told Axios. So is Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.

J.), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.What they're saying: Litman said when her group was founded in 2017 — despite it only working on state and local races and not on the congressional level— she "would get a lot of people really mad at me.

""Now, we get almost the opposite reaction," she said. "I think the dam has broken because of [former President] Biden ..

. so clearly demonstrating the danger that comes with leaders staying in too long."Andrabi told Axios: "The mood amongst the Democratic base is so overwhelming that people don't need an excuse to get in and challenge the sort of 'Do Nothing Democrats' right now.

"Said Adam Green of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee: "Anybody who ...

sees the only opposition party at a record low approval would want to change the face of the party."Data: Axios research; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios VisualsZoom in: Investment analyst Katie Bansil, 33, said she challenged Pallone, 73, primarily over "big differences" in their views on environmental and foreign policy. Now, age is emerging as another "big reason.

""I echo ...

a lot of the sentiment lately. The landscape when he first ran in [1988], versus now, is so different," she said. "It's time to turn the page.

"Everton Blair, a 34-year-old school board member pursuing the seat held by Scott, 79, said he decided to run after a town hall meeting at which Scott brushed off his concerns about combating the Trump administration."Republicans have actually done a better job than Democrats at creating youth opportunities on their bench ..

. we need to shift gears," he said.Zoom out: These primary battles are just the latest front in a generational civil war that has been tearing the Democratic Party apart for the better part of a year.

Biden's withdrawal from the Democratic ticket last July was a watershed moment.That was followed by House Democrats breaking with tradition and pushing out three of their oldest committee leaders, including Scott.Trump's efforts to dismantle the federal government have kicked things into overdrive, with activists all but writing off any Democrat who they think isn't meeting the urgency of the moment.

Yes, but: Those in this new crop of insurgents — many of whom are political neophytes and, in some cases, outsiders to their districts — will have to prove they can replicate the success of The Squad.That includes raising the kind of money they will need to overcome the outside help many establishment Democrats are likely to receive.House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.

Y.), in a Sunday appearance on ABC's "This Week," said he looks forward to "standing behind every single Democratic incumbent."Some challengers appear to be raising the necessary cash: Kat Abughazaleh raked in nearly $379,000 in just eight days after the 26-year-old launched her campaign against Rep.

Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), who is now expected to retire.The bottom line: "Even in April, a year out from a Democratic primary .

.. we're at seven [primary challenges], and none of those are ours," said Andrabi.

"There's going to be a lot of people across the country that we may not get involved in that are just like, 'I don't give a s**t, I don't need organizational support, I'm here to primary this person because this person sucks.'".