Political Turkeys of 2025 — Democratic Missteps That Won't Be Easily Forgiven

As 2025 draws to a close, several high-profile missteps by prominent Democrats became focal points for critics and many voters. Conservative commentators catalogued the party's setbacks, while internal debates over leadership, strategy, and direction intensified across Washington and in New York City.

Shutdown Standoff and Pressure on Chuck Schumer

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., emerged as a central target after a 43-day government shutdown that ended with Democrats gaining little of substance. Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., had resisted advancing spending legislation to keep the government open past Oct. 1 unless lawmakers first addressed supplemental subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Republicans declined to negotiate on those subsidies, and without a clear off-ramp or bargaining strategy, support for prolonging the shutdown eroded — even among some of the chamber's most progressive members.

"I just don’t get what the point is of delaying even longer," Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said shortly after a key vote to reopen the government cleared the Senate.

Many Democrats inside and outside Congress faulted Schumer for failing either to hold the party together around the shutdown strategy or to secure meaningful concessions. Questions about his leadership and whether new Senate leadership would better navigate intra-party divisions surfaced repeatedly.

Biden, the Book and Questions About Delegated Authority

A widely read book by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson renewed debate about President Joe Biden’s health and the extent to which aides exercised authority on his behalf. The reporting prompted renewed scrutiny of what Vice President Kamala Harris and senior advisers knew, when they knew it, and whether they should have urged different decisions.

At the same time, the House Oversight Committee opened an investigation into how decisions were being authorized. In an October report, the committee asserted that aides had increasingly taken on responsibilities as the President’s health became a concern.

"The report exposes how President Joe Biden’s top advisors, political operatives, and personal physician concealed the President’s mental and physical decline from the American people. The findings reveal that as President Joe Biden’s condition deteriorated, his aides exercised presidential authority and facilitated executive actions without his direct authorization," the Oversight Committee wrote.

The report and the surrounding coverage raised legal and ethical questions about whether certain sensitive actions could be revisited and how transparency around presidential capacity should be handled going forward.

Andrew Cuomo’s Failed Comeback in New York

Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo attempted a political comeback by running for New York City mayor in 2025. His bid followed controversies over the state’s nursing-home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and sexual harassment allegations from his time as governor. Cuomo lost the Democratic primary to Zohran Mamdani by 7.7 percentage points, then mounted an independent campaign and again came up short.

"This campaign was necessary to make that point — a caution flag that we are heading down a dangerous, dangerous road," Cuomo said in his concession speech. "Well, we made that point, and they heard us, and we will hold them to it."

Cuomo’s defeat amplified questions about whether centrist or traditional Democrats can still compete with rising progressive figures who are reshaping primary electorates in some cities.

Zohran Mamdani and Intra-Party Tensions

The rapid rise of Zohran Mamdani, a self-described progressive, further intensified pressure on party leaders. Schumer and other senior Democrats were repeatedly pressed to endorse Mamdani after he won the Democratic nomination, but many were slow to provide a clear public position. Schumer’s non-answers drew criticism and fueled debate about the party’s direction and its ability to unite disparate factions.

What This Means Going Forward

Taken together, the shutdown fallout, questions about presidential capacity and delegated authority, Cuomo’s failed comeback, and friction over rising progressive figures have sharpened conversations about leadership and strategy for Democrats. Whether these episodes produce lasting damage to the party’s electoral prospects will depend on how leaders respond: with clearer communication, organizational reforms, or changes at the top.

Sources: reporting and public statements, including a book by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson and public committee reports.