Since being elected chair of the 115-member New Democrat Coalition on Nov. 20, putting him in a leadership position in the Democratic Party, U.S. Rep Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park, has watched his role evolve in after the whirlwind executive orders and other actions of President Donald Trump began on Jan. 20.
Though the group’s purpose remains the same since it was formed in 1997 — “passing legislation and getting stuff done” — Schneider said leading the group through unprecedented times is a challenge he considers crucial for his colleagues and the country.
“There has never been a time like this,” he said. “Trump is making an all-out attack on the Constitution, the rule of law and our democratic institutions. This is what I tell people at rallies, town halls, senior centers and schools. We have to fight for what America can be.”
Schneider plans to accelerate his efforts to build coalitions to pass legislation in Washington and communicate with constituents in northeast Illinois to counteract Trump’s actions now and in building toward the 2026 midterm elections.
Joining the “New Dems” when he was first elected to Congress in 2012, Schneider said there were 42 members at that time. It grew to 115 with the start of the current 119th Congress in January. He said they are new Democratic members who replaced retired nonmembers, or others who see it as a way to “get things done.”
“We work across our caucus and reach across the aisle,” he said. “Using Republicans is part of our mission. It is necessary to pass legislation and get stuff done.”
U.S Rep Suzan DelBene, D-Washington, came into Congress with Schneider in 2012. She was the previous chair of the New Dems. She entered Congress with Schneider and has watched him grow into his leadership role. They both serve on the Committee on Ways and Means.
“He shows results for our committee, the New Dems, the people he represents and our country,” DelBene said. “He works very well with people in a group situation. He had had some of the best ideas for us.”
DelBene said Schneider is now in a position to help stop, “the damage Elon Musk and Donald Trump are doing to the nation.”
Some New Dems members, like U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, joined before they became members. First elected in 2022, she said she contacted Schneider when she first became a candidate. He became a mentor.
“I reached out to Brad because his district is diverse like mine,” Budzinski said. “He invited me as a special guest at his Women for Brad event. He has been a valuable counsel on a variety of issues.”
During a town hall Schneider held in March at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Ashby Beasley of Highland Park asked Schneider to “take the gloves off” when criticizing Trump and Musk, who heads the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency.
“Say something to give us hope,” Beasley said. “Don’t back down. We’ll be right there with you.”
Beasley said last week she would like to see more young people like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, and U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, R-Florida, in leadership roles.
Though she said she is a supporter of Schneider, Dana Gordon, also a Highland Park resident, said she wants to see a very strong response from Democratic leadership about Trump’s attempts to, “dissolve our democracy.”
“Congress has to respond, and they have to do it strongly,” Gordon said. “They have the power of the purse, and they have to use it. They are in charge of that.”
Getting more vocal, Schneider is critical of Trump’s attacks on free speech at universities, deportations without due process — be they migrants or students — and how the president is impacting the country’s reputation around the world.
“He has surrendered to Vladimir Putin on Ukraine,” Schneider said. “He has damaged America’s leadership in the world. We have to persevere and be strong. The future of our country depends on our success.”
Looking to the 2026 election, Schneider said the New Dems, through its political arm the NewDem Action Fund, are looking for candidates to help the Democrats regain the majority in the House of Representatives and supporting incumbents in competitive districts.
“We’re working to flip enough seats so the Democrats will have a majority,” Schneider said, “We’re working with our incumbents so they can hold their seats.”
With the Republicans now holding a slim majority in the House, Schneider said legislation can be passed by getting a few — four will do it — to vote for legislation supported by the Democratic caucus.
“We don’t need them to leave the Republican Party,” he said. “They just need to join us to preserve America’s democracy.”
Though as his seniority grows, Schneider may have other leadership positions, such as chairing a committee — he sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee as well as Ways and Means — he said he does not plan to run for the U.S. Senate. Sen. Dick Durbin said Wednesday he is not seeking reelection in 2026.
“I know every nook and cranny of the 10th District,” Schneider said. “I really like representing the people here.”
