‘CBS This Morning’ host Tony Dokoupil wondered if a Democratic policy designed to protect incumbents from primary challengers is keeping the party’s elected officials from becoming more diverse.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced in March that it would cut business ties with consultants that went to work for Democratic primary challengers running against incumbent congressional Democrats.
The policy is designed to protect incumbent Democrats and keep their focus on congressional issues rather than worrying about a primary challenge. In effect, the policy disadvantages minorities and women from unseating white, male incumbents, slowing the party’s move for diversity, Dokoupil claimed Monday while referencing a story in the New York Times.
“Democratic leadership in the House have a new policy meant to protect incumbents — people currently in office. The policy is no consultant can work for a challenger to that seat,” Dokoupil said. “Now the idea is to help keep the people who are in Congress, make them stay in Congress.”
“Here’s the problem, two-thirds of the people who are in those safe House seats are older white men. The people who are making the challenges? Often female, often younger, often people of color,” Dokoupil continued. “So people are looking at this new Democratic policy and thinking, ‘Not a good look for the Democratic Party.’ Unintended consequences, indeed.”
