The Democrats have lost majorities in the House and Senate and been obliterated by the Republicans at the state and local level since Obama assumed office in 2009. In a speech this week to progressive activists at a rally for Ellison's candidacy to lead the Democratic National Committee, Ellison and Sanders both said the party needed new leadership and noted that it had declined during recent years.

"Clearly, whatever the leadership of the Democratic Party has been doing over the last many years has failed, and we need fundamental change," Sanders said. [...]

Over Obama's eight years, Democrats went from controlling 28 governor's mansions to 18; they went from controlling 25 state legislatures to 12; they went from controlling 60 Senate seats to 48; and from controlling 257 House seats to 194.