According to Rep. Summer Lee, Democratic leadership is falling pretty short these days. In an interview with “Breaking Point” podcast, the Progressive U.S. Representative captured the mood that many democratic voters around the country have felt as of late. Particularly after the election. Despite a few victories (hello Zohran Mamdani and Mary Sheffield), it’s clear the democratic party could use an overhaul.

“I don't think that they have found the—I don't think they have the recipe right now,” she said to the host. “I think that leadership traditionally sees itself as leadership of the caucus.”

The Pittsburgh Congresswoman noted that gone are the days when raising money, flipping seats, and building a majority are enough. Leadership demands more.

“Leadership has meant that we have to raise enough money to help the frontliners. We have to raise enough money to flip the seats. We have to gain a majority,” said Lee. “But leadership to the country right now looks like marching orders. It looks like being in the trenches…Leadership has to look different than [how] it ever looked before.”

The 37-year-old political powerhouse emphasized that real change comes from beyond the walls of government. “People want to see people acknowledging that every movement in history was not led by Congress. It was led from the outside. The real movement came from the organized, empowered electorate. How do we get people back into that?”

In her view, power isn’t vested solely in elected officials like Hakeem Jeffries or even the president — but in everyday citizens. She noted that even those in the highest office, “Don’t get to decide if we have a dictatorship… Hakeem Jeffries doesn’t get to decide … We do,” Lee said.

Though Lee also noted the vibe shift from republican supporters last November vs. now.

“We all have to figure out better ways of doing that, and it will be hard, because we have spent too much time telling people that the right way to protest is to just vote, the right way to protest is to go run, and not that the right way to protest has always been [organizing]. It’s always been when you take to the streets.”

Watch the entire interview below.