Former Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) criticized the Democratic Party for heavily focusing on the Department of Government Efficiency and its head, Elon Musk, following the 2024 election, suggesting this strategy is “not playing well” for his party.

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) was one of several Democratic lawmakers who spoke out against Musk and DOGE on Wednesday, saying that lawmakers “should in no way be cooperating with House Republicans” with some of their efforts. Phillips, who described himself as “a long-suffering Democrat,” said he was “really embarrassed” for the Democratic lawmakers in Wednesday’s hearing, specifically how the party is seeking to work against the desire of voters.

DEMOCRATS LOSE TOUCH WITH VOTERS OVER MUSK, TRUMP, DOGE

“And I just would hope that my Democratic colleagues might change the strategy and perhaps actually work with Republicans to identify waste and fraud and actually attack that, because then they would have some more credibility as it relates to the Constitutional issues and the ones that are actually going to hurt human beings, including federal employees who are now being used as pawns,” Phillips argued on CNN’s Laura Coates Live. “So that is how most Americans feel. But Democrats are not projecting that, and I’m deeply concerned about leadership right now.”

Phillips, who aimed to replace former President Joe Biden as the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominee, went on to say that one of his campaign propositions was to recruit a consulting firm to look at the federal budget and make “thoughtful” recommendations on how to make the government more efficient. Democrats focus on Musk, and the party means is “missing the boat” on the winning issue of eliminating government waste, leaving the party “steamrolled,” Phillips added. 

The former lawmaker’s analysis comes after the Washington Examiner’s Byron York contended that Democrats have made Musk “the main target” as its post-2024 election strategy. He added that this tactic of working against DOGE and defending “some of the most unpopular parts of the federal government” is what Democrats “really think” will be a winning issue for them.

Phillips said that his party still lacks proper leadership ahead of the 2026 and 2028 elections, though Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) has contended that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) could be the voice the party is looking for. When asked about this, the former presidential candidate called Jeffries “a rising star” who should be more “visible.”

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Earlier this week, podcast host and comedian Joe Rogan argued that the Democratic Party still has not undergone any “course-correcting” after the election.

Late Wednesday evening, DOGE announced the launch of its website, which is set to debut the department’s cost reduction and savings scorecard by Friday.