Unity is new tone for often-divided Democrats in Washington

FILE – Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., right, talks with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during the eighth vote in the House chamber as the House meets for the third day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, on Jan. 5, 2023. Democrats are basking in having displayed remarkable unity, with every one of their members backing party leader Hakeem Jeffries for the House speakership again and again and again. Speculation Biden might have to overcome a hard Democratic primary has also quieted. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Not so long ago, Democratic in-fighting doomed a sweeping social spending package despite the party controlling Congress. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, faced increasingly sharp questions about whether he’d face a primary challenge if he even opted to seek reelection. Things look very different, at least for now. Democrats are basking in having displayed remarkable unity, with every one of their members backing party leader Hakeem Jeffries for the House speakership again and again and again. Speculation Biden might have to overcome a hard Democratic primary has also quieted. Being in lockstep marks a stark departure from the narrative of “Democrats in disarray” that long dominated Washington.