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Fighting for the Soul of the Democratic Party

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WASHINGTON — Democrats, now the clear minority party, hope to find redemption in the 2018 midterm elections, but first they must choose who will lead them out of the political wilderness.

With the constant drumbeat of marches, political demonstrations, and now protests at congressional town halls, Democrats project a united front in opposing President Donald Trump.

However, dig a little deeper, and it's easy to find separation.

Different approaches are on clear display as the party tries to determine who will lead the Democratic National Committee as the next chair. 

Eight candidates want the job, but two names top the list heading into this weekend's DNC election: former Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Rep. Keith Ellison, (D-Minn). 

Both men talk tough about taking on the president and his policies.

"Donald Trump has already done a number of things which legitimately raise the question of impeachment," Rep. Ellison said during a televised debate on CNN.

Perez, considered the leading contender – though by a small margin, echoed a similar tone during the debate.

"We have seen from the get-go that this person wants to turn the clock back, and the Democratic party needs to take the fight to Donald Trump," Perez said. "When we lead with our values, when we lead with our conviction, that's how we succeed."

Some observers say the race between these two resembles the bitter 2016 presidential primary fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Perez enjoys the establishment support from Clinton supporters, and Ellison has the backing of progressives.

Nathan Gonzales, an elections expert and editor of "Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales," told CBN News the inter-party battle is not uncommon for the losing party.

"The DNC fight is a broader fight for heart and soul of the Democratic party . . . when a party doesn't control the White House there is no clear leader. This is just one area where the fight is playing out."

The battle even caught the attention of the president, who tweeted: "One thing I will say about Rep. Keith Ellison, in his fight to lead the DNC, is that he was the one who predicted early that I would win!" 

Roland Martin, host of "News One Now," told CBN News he believes Democrats will ultimately come together for one simple reason.

"You can not like Perez, you can not like Ellison, Harrison, you can not like any of the candidates, but you probably hate Trump more," Martin said. "So the bottom line is a hatred of trump will bring together any divided faction."

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About The Author

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John
Jessup

John Jessup serves as the main news anchor for CBN, based at the network's news bureau in Washington, D.C. He joined CBN News in September 2003, starting as a national correspondent and then covering the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. His work in broadcast news has earned him several awards in reporting, producing, and coordinating election coverage. While at CBN, John has reported from several places, including Moore, Oklahoma, after the historic EF5 tornado and parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. He also traveled to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the height