"We do not support this," said Representative Lynn Woolsey, Democrat of California, co-chairwoman of the progressive caucus.

Hoping to form a progressive caucus within the Council, the group has developed a list of what it calls common-sense proposals for the new administration.

He was secretary of the House of Representatives' progressive caucus during the 2009-2010 sessions.

In addition, an array of national liberal organizations work to support the efforts of the progressive caucus, including the Institute for Policy Studies, The Nation magazine, MoveOn.org, National Priorities Project, Jobs with Justice, Peace Action, Americans for Democratic Action,and Progressive Democrats of America.

What we really need is a strong progressive caucus backing up Pelosi," The Hill quoted Chamberlain as saying, "When it's Nancy Pelosi versus the president, it's a tough internal battle for Democrats.

Robert Jackson, a Manhattan council member, for example, said that many members of a growing progressive caucus believed that the Council's leadership and staff should be ethnically diverse, particularly since both the mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, and the speaker are white men from Manhattan.

Once in office, Mr. Ritter persuaded members to dissolve the warring progressive and moderate caucuses, offering the leaders of both groups top committee posts.

Nevertheless we endorse him because he is an articulate voice who has been trying to create a multiracial, progressive caucus in the Legislature.

While the 75th Congress had in excess of 300 Democrats, many of them were conservative, and Voorhis emerged as a leader of a progressive caucus of some 50 representatives.