Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez likes to endorse the most extreme left-wing congressional candidates she can find, even if it means supporting them in a primary challenge to fellow Democrats.
She did that in a race down in Texas, backing a ‘progressive’ challenger to nine-term moderate Rep. Henry Cuellar, who has an “A+” rating from the NRA and often bucks the most extremist legislation proposed by his own party.
But her chosen challenger, left-wing immigration attorney Jessica Cisneros, failed to immediately best Cuellar, and now, “AOC” as she is nicknamed, isn’t happy.
Cuellar, a nine-term incumbent, is leading Cisneros by less than 200 votes in Texas’ 28th District as of Thursday morning.
Although Cuellar declared victory early Wednesday, Cisneros has not yet conceded and ballots will be recounted.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Whip James Clyburn, and other top Democrats supported Cuellar’s campaign through robocalls and in-person events, while Ocasio-Cortez and Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed Cisneros.
“Accountability isn’t partisan. This was an utter failure of leadership,” Ocasio-Cortez complained of leadership’s support for Cuellar.
“Congress should not be an incumbent protection racket and sadly it is treated as such by far too many. The fact is those who fail their communities deserve to lose. They don’t need rescuing from powerful leaders who state they fight for gun safety, the right to choose, and more,” she continued.
TX28 is an extremely close race. If Cuellar wins, leadership’s decision to go to the mat for a pro-NRA incumbent will be the reason why. If Cisneros pulls it out, they will have mobilized against a badly needed grassroots for Nov & fought against a historic victory. And for what?
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
National Review added in a tweet: “Henry Cuellar, the only House Democrat who voted against his party’s federal abortion bill, appears to have survived a primary challenge from the left.”
Henry Cuellar, the only House Democrat who voted against his party’s federal abortion bill, appears to have survived a primary challenge from the left.
— National Review
KNOW MORE:
WATCH: Carlson Hilariously Mocks New ‘Book-Length Suck-Up’ to AOC By New York Magazine ‘Fangirls’