Pelosi Endorses Kennedy In Mass. Senate Race—Drawing Fire From AOC

TOPLINE

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) endorsed Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) in his bid to unseat Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on Thursday—angering progressives who strongly supported the incumbent senator, who has championed more left-wing policies such as the Green New Deal, over Kennedy, a moderate.

KEY FACTS

Chief Critic

“No one gets to complain about primary challenges again,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in response to Pelosi’s endorsement, before criticizing the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee “blacklist” policy, which prevents any party consultant who assists primary challengers from working on national party races. The new rule was instituted by party leaders this year as a way to protect incumbents and “unify” the party. Many progressives cried foul, and said it would unfairly hurt progressive challengers. Ocasio-Cortez argued Pelosi’s support for Kennedy, a challenger, was hypocritical.

Key background 

Pelosi has clashed with progressives multiple times since Democrats took the House two years ago. The Speaker believes Democrats’ key to maintaining the majority in the House is by running moderate candidates, and avoiding some of the more controversial, progressive policy ideas like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives have, at times, publicly rebuked the Speaker, and Ocasio-Cortez appeared unsure when asked whether she would support Pelosi for another term as Speaker. “Well you know, that’s always subject to continuing dynamics,” Ocasio-Cortez said in June. “But, I support her. Yes. Maybe? Yes. If she wants it. She’s also already indicated that she may or may not run again.”

Further reading

Progressives clash with DCCC leader in closed-door meeting (Politico)