New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she does not exclusively support an anti-incumbent strategy, especially if the incumbent is necessary to a liberal policy agenda.
Best known for defeating former House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley during the 2018 primaries, Ocasio-Cortez’s victory seems to have inspired other Democratic candidates to challenge longtime senior Democratic incumbents, including House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel, New York Rep. Nita Lowey, and New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone.
“Just the idea of being open to primaries and finding primaries acceptable, for some reason, just that position alone is this profoundly controversial position,” Ocasio-Cortez told the Washington Examiner.
“The only primary challenger I’ve endorsed thus far is Marie Newman, and while we’re looking at some, I don’t believe in just an anti-incumbent strategy. I don’t believe in endorsing people solely because they are new.”
Newman is challenging Illinois Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski, a pro-life member of his caucus who is under an onslaught of criticism by members of the progressive caucus for his refusal to co-sponsor the Equality Act. However, he voted to broaden rights for LGBTQ individuals. Newman previously ran against Lipinski in 2018 and lost by over 2,000 votes in the primary.
Nadler faces a primary against Lindsey Boylan, who is going after the veteran Democrat thus far for his failure to bring articles of impeachment against President Trump.
Ocasio-Cortez said not every incumbent should be ousted, noting her endorsement of Democratic Sen. Ed Markey over Massachusetts Democrat Joe Kennedy.
“I think that we have to be strategic, and in areas where it may be less appropriate, just like I endorsed Sen. Markey, in the areas where I don’t believe it’s an appropriate change to make, I’m happy to stand up for some of those members on whose politics I share and who are advancing the causes of justice.”
Markey is the Senate sponsor of the Green New Deal the New York Democrat has championed. Ocasio-Cortez said that Markey needs to remain in the upper chamber for “generational change” to occur, change that is about liberal policy establishing itself, and that the age of the individual instilling that policy is irrelevant.
“Generational change is about issues. It’s about caring for future generations, and Sen. Markey is the generational change that we’ve been waiting for,” she said. “And I’m just very happy to work with him shoulder to shoulder to bring that out. Generational changes doesn’t mean elect whoever is younger, regardless of their politics.”
