Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., told a town hall audience last week that Democrats should not be looking for the next Barack Obama to guide them out of the political wilderness.
Khanna, a popular progressive figure who makes frequent media appearances, spoke to residents in Bridgewater, New Jersey, for another stop on his national tour, “Benefits over Billionaires,” which has taken aim at President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Republicans across the country.
Attendees asked Khanna about the direction of the party, zeroing in on who should be the next leader.
“I think anyone who wants to lead the Democratic Party in any capacity has to be meeting the moment,” he said, according to USA Today. “And that’s what I’m really focused on.”
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“Wishing for another Obama is like wishing for another King or Douglass,” Khanna said. “He was once in a generation.”
“Is there going to be another Obama? I don’t know,” he added. “But do we need another Obama? No.”
The crowd chanted, “Yes.”
“Well, OK, fine,” a smiling Khanna responded, according to USA Today.
The town hall attendees voiced their concerns about the future of the Democratic Party and a perceived lack of leadership.
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“I’m not sure who I would say is leading,” Anthony Venditti, 66, told USA TODAY before the town hall began. Paula Venditti, 67, said, “We need a populist.”
Khanna recently spoke about the need for a “rebrand” with the Democratic Party.
“We have to have a whole rebrand of the Democratic Party with a coherent platform and a future-oriented platform, and many leaders need to do that,” Khanna said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “New leaders, not the old guard. And I hope to be part of that.”
“We need more from our leadership. And you know, if you’re not willing to speak up about someone being snatched away from their home and deported without due process, you probably shouldn’t be in elective office as a Democrat right now,” he added. “We need Democrats speaking out, not just on the economy. We need them speaking out on civil liberties, on the rights of immigrants and on the rights of universities.”