After losing the race for House Democratic Caucus leadership to Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., blamed the result on a cocktail of grievances. Racism wasn’t the only “institutional barrier” that held her back, the California Democrat told the San Francisco Chronicle, it was also ageism and sexism.
“You heard and saw what took place [in the race]. So I absolutely think that’s the case,” Lee said. “That’s something that women, especially women of color and African-American women, have to face … That’s nothing new. It’s here, it’s everywhere … We still have many glass ceilings to break.”
Each of those ceilings, Lee will be disappointed to learn, have already been shattered.
Lee is black, but so is Jeffries. Race had nothing to do with his victory. It was his messaging talent combined with his policy success on big legislative lifts such as criminal justice reform that carried him to a narrow 123-113 win.
It is also true that Lee, at 72 years old, is much older than Jeffries who, at 48, has a long future ahead of him in his solidly Democratic district. His pitch for a new generation certainly helped. But age couldn’t have been the only determining factor. Rep. Steny Hoyer is the longest-serving House member in Maryland history, and has celebrated 79 birthdays. Senior citizenship didn’t stop him from winning the election for House majority leader, so it’s silly to think age held Lee back.
Finally, Lee is a woman. But in case you haven’t noticed, so is the most powerful politician in Congress. Barring an unforeseen disaster, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will pick up the speaker’s gavel for a second time in early January. Her gender has not kept her away from the job.
Perhaps there are some Democrats who aren’t racist, except against older women, or aren’t ageist, except against black women, or aren’t sexist, except black women. But it’s far more likely that Lee lost because she is a Cuba-praising, Venezuela-defending radical. Jeffries doesn’t have any of that baggage. He has an impressive record, and that’s why he won.
