Bill and Hillary Clinton are finding themselves increasingly alone as House Republicans move to drag them back into the national spotlight — and the Democratic Party they once dominated is largely stepping aside.
As GOP lawmakers push to compel testimony from the former president and former secretary of State in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, a new generation of Democrats is showing little interest in defending the Clintons. Many of these lawmakers were children, or not even born, during the Clinton presidency. Their message is blunt: loyalty to party icons no longer comes before political survival or public accountability.
The break was unmistakable last week when nine House Democrats joined Republicans to vote in favor of holding Bill Clinton in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena tied to the Epstein probe. Only three Democrats voted against a similar contempt effort aimed at Hillary Clinton. For a party that once treated the Clintons as untouchable standard bearers, the vote marked a stunning reversal.
Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida, the youngest member of Congress at 28, made the generational divide explicit. Frost said the vote had little to do with reverence for the Clintons’ legacy and everything to do with where today’s Democratic Party sees itself headed.
‘Comeback Kid’ no more: Dems aren’t protecting the Clintons from Epstein scrutiny https://t.co/CodaRoMEFe via @@YahooNews FRY them if they did wrong
— John Ip (@ippachyn) February 4, 2026
The shift is especially striking given that Bill Clinton was warmly received just 18 months ago at the Democratic National Convention and that Hillary Clinton remains the party’s most recent presidential nominee prior to President Joe Biden. Yet the Clintons’ influence inside the party has clearly faded, replaced by a cohort eager to distance itself from the baggage associated with the 1990s political era.
Both Clintons have denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities and have argued the subpoenas lack a legitimate legislative purpose. Still, Democrats who favor compliance say the issue transcends personalities.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez framed the matter as one of institutional power, not political allegiance. She said Congress must assert its oversight authority even when prominent figures from its own party are involved, expressing relief that the Clintons have now agreed to testify later this month.
Silence from the party’s future leadership has been just as telling. Several likely Democratic contenders for the 2028 presidential race — including figures with personal or professional ties to the Clintons — have avoided commenting on House Oversight Chairman James Comer’s effort to question them. Some Democrats privately argue that any association with the Clintons now brings more political risk than reward.
One Democratic lobbyist put it bluntly, saying the Clintons “bring nothing but baggage” and have become an obstacle to party renewal. A campaign adviser to a potential 2028 candidate questioned what value the party gains by shielding the Clintons while demanding transparency from everyone else named in the Epstein files.
Democrats backing the contempt votes argue that holding their own leaders accountable sets them apart from Republicans, who continue to rally around President Donald Trump and dismiss investigations into him as partisan attacks. Sen. Elissa Slotkin said accountability should apply equally to presidents, CEOs, and cabinet officials if crimes were committed.
Others echoed that sentiment, though some admitted the vote might have been unthinkable two decades ago. Rep. Sara Jacobs, 37, joked that she was in kindergarten at the time, underscoring just how far removed today’s Democratic leadership is from the Clinton years.
‘Comeback Kid’ no more: Dems aren’t protecting the Clintons from Epstein scrutiny https://t.co/enMZMT2TwJ
— Fernando Oliver, Esq. (@Fernand46357857) February 4, 2026
The Clintons, for their part, have accused Comer of political theater designed to humiliate them. A spokesperson said they had already cooperated in good faith and submitted sworn statements denying any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. Like other subpoenaed witnesses, they provided written declarations asserting they were unaware of Epstein’s trafficking operation.
Even some longtime Clinton allies acknowledge the erosion of loyalty. Former Commerce Secretary Bill Daley said fewer Democrats today have any personal connection to the Clinton era, making it easier to let them twist in the wind. Still, Daley criticized Democrats for failing to aggressively counter what he described as Republican tactics.
Other veterans of the Clinton world were harsher. Philippe Reines, a longtime Clinton adviser, called the contempt vote a self-inflicted wound and warned younger lawmakers were naive to believe Republicans would reciprocate such norms if Democrats regained power.
Despite lingering respect for Bill Clinton’s presidency — and approval ratings that remained relatively strong years after he left office — his legacy has grown increasingly complicated for a party that has shifted left on crime, trade, and sexual misconduct. Issues like the 1994 crime bill, NAFTA, and the Monica Lewinsky scandal are now viewed through a far harsher lens by today’s Democratic coalition.
Republicans, meanwhile, are leaning into the moment. Trump continues to deflect questions about his own mentions in the Epstein files by pointing to Clinton, even as he denies wrongdoing and insists he cut ties with Epstein years ago.
Some Democrats still oppose the contempt push. Rep. Wesley Bell voted against both measures, arguing the Clintons have not yet violated the law. Democratic strategist James Carville dismissed the entire effort as political theater and predicted it would backfire on Republicans, reminding critics that Hillary Clinton once endured 11 hours of Benghazi testimony without buckling.
Still, the broader message is clear. The Democratic Party that once revolved around the Clintons has moved on. As Republicans force the issue and younger Democrats decline to intervene, Bill and Hillary Clinton are learning a hard truth of modern politics: yesterday’s icons are no longer guaranteed protection — especially when the next generation sees only risk, not reward, in coming to their defense.
