A balancing act awaits congressional Democrats when they take control of Congress in January: how hard it is to go after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. without alienating the movement they hope to win over.
asserted
they → await → movement
His overhaul of longstanding vaccine guidance and his cuts to medical research over the past two years have drawn fiery criticism.
asserted
overhaul → draw → criticism
Some high-ranking lawmakers have suggested impeaching him.
uncertain
lawmakers → rank → him
But those efforts could conflict with another growing priority for many lawmakers on the left: nurturing common ground with Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again followers to secure their political support.
uncertain
America → conflict → support
It could prove a difficult balance, since many MAHA activists whom Democrats are courting as part of their new coalition still view Kennedy as their closest ally.
uncertain
Democrats → prove → ally
“It’s an unenviable position for Democrats to be in,” said Matt Motta, a professor at Boston University School of Public Health.
asserted
Motta → ’ → Health
In addition to treading carefully not to upset MAHA voters, Motta said, the lawmakers will also have to answer to a left-leaning base that wants more accountability from Kennedy on vaccines as measles outbreaks surge around the country.
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outbreaks → tread → country
Some members of the MAHA movement said they're eager to work with Democrats to pass legislation on shared interests, like regulating pesticides and making school lunches healthier.
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lunches → say → pesticides
But extensive investigations into Kennedy, or hostility toward him, could complicate those collaborations.
uncertain
investigations → complicate → collaborations
“I’m not saying that the Democratic leadership can’t continue to have an irrational war on Secretary Kennedy until they collapse,” said Mark Gorton, president of the Kennedy-aligned MAHA Institute.
asserted
Gorton → say → Institute
“But when they do that, they alienate all the MAHA voters out there, the people who really care about fighting corporate capture.”
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who → do → capture
Democrats are ready to hold Kennedy's feet to the fire
Kennedy was a lifelong Democrat before running for president as an independent in 2024 and then throwing his support behind President Donald Trump's campaign.
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Kennedy → hold → campaign
Since joining the Trump administration, he has repeatedly clashed with his former party.
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he → join → party
Democrats have assailed his Health and Human Services Department for sweeping staffing cuts unleashed as part of Trump's government efficiency push.
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Democrats → assail → push
They have also attacked the decision to eliminate areas of scientific study that the administration deemed too focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.
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administration → attack → diversity
They've also grilled him in congressional hearings over his efforts to change government vaccine policies while sidestepping long-held protocols for that reform.
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They → grill → reform
Accordingly, when Democrats swept the midterm elections last week, many took to social media to call for Kennedy to vacate his position.
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Kennedy → sweep → position
“Unless RFK Jr. is interested in spending the next two years in front of congressional committees, he should go ahead and resign now,” Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., wrote on social media.
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Warnock → spend → media
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., most likely the next chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has vowed to investigate Kennedy's “wrongdoing.”
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Raskin → vow → wrongdoing
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said on CNN that Kennedy should be one of two high-priority targets for impeachment for the House majority next year.
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Kennedy → say → majority
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is poised to take over the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which has jurisdiction over Kennedy's department.
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which → poise → department
He told the network he is “absolutely open” to that idea.
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he → tell → idea
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is expected to chair another committee with HHS jurisdiction next year: the Senate Finance Committee.
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Wyden → expect → Committee
He told The Associated Press he plans to hold Kennedy and the administration accountable “for actions that have harmed children, raised health costs, and made America less healthy.”
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America → tell → costs
He already launched two investigations into Kennedy this week.
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He → launch → Kennedy
“For those that have broken the law and betrayed the trust of taxpayers and American families, nothing should be off the table,” Wyden said.
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Wyden → break → table
But Democrats also see MAHA followers as potential supporters
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Democrats → see → supporters
Even as many Democrats want to see Kennedy answer for his actions, others are open to working with him – and certainly with his followers.
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others → want → followers
At least some aspects of the sprawling MAHA movement resonate with U.S. adults of both parties, such as reducing processed foods and addressing government corruption.
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aspects → sprawl → corruption
The new Congress creates a rare opportunity for coalition building.
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Congress → create → building
It also helps Democrats that many MAHA followers have soured on the Republican Trump administration, seeing recent actions like an executive order boosting pesticide use as a betrayal of their trust.
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followers → help → trust
More cracks in that support have emerged since the election.
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cracks → emerge → election
Calley Means, a former administration adviser and top MAHA advocate recently accused White House officials of catering to foreign and domestic lobbyists at the expense of Americans' health.
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Means → accuse → health
But in the interviews where he made those accusations, he also praised Kennedy.
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he → make → Kennedy
Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree, Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker are among those who have teamed up with MAHA activists to devise proposals on topics like regenerative agriculture, healthy school lunches and liability for pesticide manufacturers.
asserted
who → team → manufacturers
Pingree told the AP she hopes that cooperation can continue, even though many of her MAHA-aligned contacts remain strong supporters of Kennedy.
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many → tell → Kennedy
Whether Democratic colleagues try to impeach Kennedy is “out of my hands,” she said.
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she → try → hands
But “if he’s still there, I’m hoping we can continue to work on some of these things and make whatever gains we can.”
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we → ’ → gains
McGovern said he's been clear with MAHA leaders he works with that “we need to hold RFK Jr. accountable for his broken promises and lying to his supporters while enabling the corruption he swore he would stand up to.”
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he → say → corruption
“The MAHA leaders I’m talking to quietly agree and are ready to move forward together to actually fix the broken status quo in Washington,” he said.
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he → talk → Washington
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
