10 Democratic rising stars to keep an eye on for the post-Pelosi era

[brooklynite]

Chris Cilliza:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's massive upset of 10-term Rep. Joe Crowley in New York earlier this week creates a yawning opening in the ranks of future Democratic leaders.

Crowley, at 56 years old, was regarded as the heir apparent to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi whenever the California Democrat decided to step away from the party's top job. (Pelosi is far less popular within the Democratic caucus than she once was. But there is still no one who can beat her in a caucus vote.)

With Crowley gone, an entire generation of aspiring Democratic leaders has been wiped out -- some from impatience, others from lack of political skill. Regardless, a vacuum now exists between Pelosi (78 years old), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (79) and House Assistant Minority leader Jim Clyburn (77) -- the three top ranking Democrats in the House -- and the rank-and-file in the party.

Politics abhors a vacuum. So I reached out to a handful of the close observers of House Democratic politics and asked them for names of current members who could, should or will step into the void. There was a remarkable amount of diversity in their picks -- only Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos was mentioned more than once. There was also a fair amount of geographic diversity -- members from Washington State, Arizona, Texas and New York were all mentioned. And age diversity! Three of the Democrats are in their 50s, four are in their 40s and three are in their 30s.

(nb - I just got off the phone with Max Rose -- NY11 -- who says he won't support Nancy Pelosi as Democratic Leader)

[Tatiana]

1. No on Moulton, Kennedy is a potential Presidential contender.

I like Bustos, but I'd prefer another California Democrat as Speaker... Swalwell looks really good. I like Schiff, too.

[Garrett78]

5. I could get behind having Schiff as the next Speaker, especially after his speech yesterday.

[NY_20th]

2. Let's focus on retaking the House first.

Oh, and Cilliza is a divisive jerk. All he does is stir the pot with nonsense.

[emulatorloo]

6. He's king of the hot takes

[samnsara]

3. i will cont to support nancy....

[Hortensis]

4. This is an opinion piece from a right-wing spinner.

What's it doing here?

Ocasio-Ortiz won by a little over half of barely 5% of the voters.

Almost nobody came out to vote. An astonishingly low number. PA's primaries this year generated a lot of comment because they were very low at 18% turnout. Everyone assumed that district's powerhouse congressman, Crowley, had it in the bag, and that undoubtedly had something to do with it.

Subtract 97.5% of the electorate and in the remainder are some who must have liked her for something other than that she is a woman in the year of the female candidates.

NOW re-read that creep Cilliza's piece.

[NewJeffCT]

8. so, Democrats in a heavily Democratic district

didn't turn out for a Democratic primary?

Maybe she wins by 25 points instead of 30?

[Hortensis]

10. Barely 5% voted. Just imagine the surprise

of all the rest of those who pay attention when they woke up and discovered that their long-time powerhouse in congress was gone, replaced by a completely inexperienced 28-year-old who got maybe 2.6% of the vote.

Yes, those who care, not everyone of course, should not have just assumed their party heavyweight's reelection was in the bag without them.



But this isn't about her, or him. PLEASE, check the fairy story being pushed by this conservative sleazebag and other MSM against the reality that she was elected by less than 3% of her district's voters. She's our party's new star!!! Maybe she'll run for president in 2020.

We know why the sleazebag is spinning away, but why are the rest twisting this little surprise into a suggestion that our party is unstable and undergoing an upheaval?

[NewJeffCT]

11. I hope she does an awesome job representing her district

but, I think she'll be 29 years old in October, so would need to wait until 2024 to run with the 35 year old age requirement for presidency

[Hortensis]

12. Lol, senate first then. But, yes, me too.

[NewJeffCT]

15. Hopefully

she won't run for president in 2024 because there is a Democrat running for re-election for 2024 that won't need to be challenged.

[crazycatlady]

19. I'm glad to see a new generation get into leadership

We need some younger blood in Congress.

[emulatorloo]

7. "But there is still no one who can beat her in a caucus vote"

In other words we aren’t at the “post-Pelosi era.” The caucus keeps electing her leader.

Dunno why you wanna promote this idiot Cilliza. He’s the king of hot takes and revels in pushing “Dems in Disarray” propaganda.

[Me.]

9. Kiss Of Death Cilizza

First...there isn't a post Pelosi era as much as he would like one

2. As for the supposed chasm...NP has been bringing younger members along without his help and direction

3. When has Cilliza ever been positive to Dems so I see this article as a way of sticking it to NP, a continuation of his tendency to kick female politicians around. I wonder if HRC has finally removed all the knives he has shoved in her back.

[irisblue]

13. Cilliza is a problematic source for me

He has a long history of treating politics as a horse race entertainment, and his 'optics over substance' is another issue for me. I'll read what he says, but holding a salt shaker.

[brooklynite]

17. I hear the same complaint here about virtually every other pundit

[irisblue]

18. Yeah, no perfevt humans on earth or here on DU.

That truth does not change his long term written history.

[MrsCoffee]

14. Blah blah fucking blah.

[mythology]

16. We do need to do more to foster younger people in leadership

Not that I'm trying to get rid of Pelosi who is remarkably good at her job, but realistically she (like all the rest of us) won't be around forever. I would like the transition to be smooth. There are many potential problems with having all of the leadership being limited demographically.

First, they will be more likely to leave together, increasing chaos.

Second they will be more likely to have similar ideas. Both in terms of legislative priorities, but also how to reach out to more diverse communities and what matters to them.

And also it's good for more diverse groups to see themselves represented in our party leadership for the same reasons it's good to have them represented in any other leadership positions.