Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons has called upon his party to abandon its "relentless race to the left" and "move from grievance to optimism," in a speech on Thursday.
"If we as a Democratic Party are going to move from a minority at every level that is dedicated to resistance, to a majority that is capable of governing, we have got to move from grievance to optimism," Coons said at a New Democracy event at the Washington Court Hotel in the capital, according to U.S. News and World Report.
"And we've got to abandon a politics of anxiety that is characterized by wild-eyed proposals and instead deliver ideas and practical solutions."
Coons, a moderate Democrat, shared his concerns about the "outrageous proposals" for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, free healthcare, and guaranteed jobs through the government.
"We can be bold by saying we can make healthcare affordable, without having to say we'll make it free," the senator said, according to the Washington Examiner.
"We can be bold by saying we will fix our disastrous immigration policies without saying we're going to abolish ICE.
"If we want to a move from a party in the minority committed to 'the Resistance' to a party of governance we have to act like it," he added. "I understand the strategy of racing farther and farther Left in a 24-7, talking head, social media chaos, controversial, combative world — pie in the sky policies and extreme rhetoric stand out, they stick.
"So, instead of having something that makes a great Twitter hashtag and gets you on Rachel Maddow," Coons continued, "we need to have something that fires people up and is policy position we can actually defend like dump [President Donald] Trump's immigration policy."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.