House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told Axios that one of the reasons he managed to raise so much money was the negative reaction of Republican supporters to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
"Well, she runs the floor," McCarthy said when asked why Republicans respond so vociferously to AOC. "That wing of the party, the socialist wing of the party, they are the new power of the Democratic Party.
"You watched on the floor. Legislation couldn't be passed unless AOC agreed with it."
Experts are continuing to argue over why House Democrats underperformed Joe Biden in down-ballot races nationwide, as the GOP defied expectations by picking up seats in the lower chamber.
Some Democratic representatives are warning against the danger to their party of alienating more moderate elements in the population.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., insisted it is "foolishness [to think] you got to be this progressive or that progressive," adding the "phrase 'defund the police' cost Jaime Harrison tremendously. I'm not saying it was the only problem."
He stressed, "when you ask somebody, 'Why would you want to defund the police?' They'll tell you, 'That's not what we mean. This is what we mean.' My position is in politics, the moment you start explaining what you mean, you are losing the argument."
But Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., defended his progressive colleagues, saying it is "normal" and "healthy" to have debate in a big-tent party.
He stressed progressives should continue to vote and build consensus on ideas like Medicare for All, even if they have no chance of passage in a GOP-controlled Senate, saying "I view politics as a long game."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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