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Jilly_in_VA

(12,698 posts) Sat May 31, 2025, 11:29 AM May 31

43

Can young Democrats really threaten Pelosi's old guard? [View all]

Thirty-nine-year-old Saikat Chakrabarti is looking to pull off a political earthquake: Oust California Democrat Nancy Pelosi in next year's primaries. The 85-year-old former House Speaker has been in Congress since 1987, almost as long as Chakrabarti's been alive.

He's part of a movement of young progressives looking to knock off their Democratic elders in blue state primaries next year, arguing the veterans aren't doing enough to take the fight to President Donald Trump.

His message: "People are fed up with the old guard."

But the old guard is unimpressed. Pelosi told USA TODAY she doesn’t view Chakrabarti’s challenge as serious.

“Not at all. Not even slightly,” she said.

Chakrabarti, a tech millionaire, is making gerontocracy − rule by the aged − a big part of his campaign. He says he's building an insurgent base through Zoom calls with voters and regular TV appearances.

Amid a storm of Trump-induced crises, Chakrabarti says, "The Democratic party has an inability-to-change problem."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/31/young-democrats-launch-primary-challenges/82636831007/

I think he's right, and I think that's why the DNC is scared of David Hogg. I love Nancy, but it's time for some new folks. (Bear in mind that I myself am nearly 81, and I'm quite ready to hand the reins over.)

102 replies

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Can young Democrats really threaten Pelosi's old guard? [View all] Jilly_in_VA May 31 OP

Yawn. This guy's candidacy is a joke. tritsofme May 31 #1

A tech millionaire JustAnotherGen May 31 #3

But ... but ... he's a Green New Millionaire with Green New grassroots money and capitalism is nice now! betsuni May 31 #54

He's JustAnotherGen May 31 #56

We need another tech millionaire JustAnotherGen May 31 #2

"Tech millionaire" is reductive. He's a longtime activist Sympthsical May 31 #10

I don't care JustAnotherGen May 31 #15

I'm tired of that canard. Do you have actual proof that Defund the Police cost elections? Cuthbert Allgood May 31 #17

I'm just saying Sympthsical May 31 #18

I remember back in H2O Man Jun 1 #65

Nancy Pelosi is a tech millionaire madville Jun 1 #93

Her husband's investments as the Founder JustAnotherGen Jun 2 #97

At this point both sides are just arguing over madville Jun 2 #100

I'm not saying Jilly_in_VA May 31 #4

Well there's this ("Nazi sympathizer" allegation) RandomNumbers May 31 #5

Whoa JustAnotherGen May 31 #19

It should be, and he needs to explain it. JohnSJ May 31 #53

Honestly, this seems like dismissing Thomas Jefferson because he owned enslaved people. intheflow May 31 #27

But I DO JustAnotherGen May 31 #55

Bose is a complicated figure fujiyamasan Jun 1 #74

depends on who the candidate is ... stopdiggin May 31 #6

Works the other way, too. Iggo May 31 #16

And that means little because no one is voting for someone just because they're old. W_HAMILTON May 31 #23

Sure there are. Iggo May 31 #26

Again -- no, they aren't. W_HAMILTON May 31 #30

Bernie Sanders is 83. Nixie May 31 #7

Bernie is an absolute exception Jilly_in_VA May 31 #34

This hypocrisy is exactly what I was talking about. It's obviously Nixie May 31 #40

It's not Jilly_in_VA May 31 #41

Right. More hypocrisy. Only a certain few get to determine Nixie May 31 #45

Unfortunately it's been hard not to notice the continued undermining. Nixie Jun 1 #63

Preach! sheshe2 May 31 #48

Hi she! It's amazing they don't realize we've heard all this Nixie May 31 #60

Hi Nixie! sheshe2 Jun 1 #66

What's so ironic about Democrats being accused of inability to change and being old betsuni Jun 1 #67

Yes, you would think they would realize that they have to work Nixie Jun 1 #95

This! mcar May 31 #51

he doesn't get a pass from everyone Skittles May 31 #59

The rigged purity test. Those who pass have been anointed, crowned, chosen already. Hypocrisy. betsuni May 31 #57

Exactly. I've noticed that some recent comments from Nixie Jun 1 #62

Mahalo, Nixie! I won't even read Cha Jun 1 #69

..... 🙌. Hi Cha! Nixie Jun 1 #78

Yesh, except those Cha Jun 1 #85

Comparing Speaker Pelosi to Bernie is a bad joke bottomofthehill Jun 1 #77

This! sheshe2 Jun 1 #81

Thanks again for proving this isn't about age. Nixie Jun 1 #91

Sanders would actually be a good example to find someone new JI7 Jun 1 #87

Exactly. The whole thing about attacking old people is to force Nixie Jun 1 #92

I hope so. We need young, smart, compasionate people like AOC and Jasmine to survive the Autumn May 31 #8

Obviously, Pelosi herself is in no danger of losing her seat - but I wouldn't be surprised if a number of the old guard Midwestern Democrat May 31 #9

Nancy will have the seat as long as she wants. Progressive dog May 31 #11

But should she still want it? Cuthbert Allgood May 31 #20

It will be whenever Christine Pelosi feels like it Sympthsical May 31 #29

Do any of us vote for people who Progressive dog May 31 #31

some people just cannot give up power Skittles Jun 1 #64

No mcar May 31 #12

One could argue things would never have gotten this extreme if the dems had acted like a true opposition party CrispyQ May 31 #13

Look where we are Ponietz May 31 #14

It depends almost entirely on the electorate where they run. MineralMan May 31 #21

Threaten? sheshe2 May 31 #22

Which is what the DNC seems to be doing right now Jilly_in_VA May 31 #33

He is being asked to follow the rules. sheshe2 May 31 #37

What rules? Jilly_in_VA May 31 #42

See post 46, Jilly. sheshe2 Jun 1 #68

Does not answer the question, though Jilly_in_VA Jun 1 #70

Wow. sheshe2 Jun 1 #71

Yeah, when they act like it. Jilly_in_VA Jun 1 #72

Wow indeed: Mocking Democrats for being old, can't fight, weak, spineless, no message, scared of David Hogg, betsuni Jun 1 #73

We wonder why we lose elections.🤔 sheshe2 Jun 1 #80

Exactly. FalloutShelter Jun 1 #84

'making gerontocracy ? rule by the aged ? a big part of his campaign.' elleng May 31 #24

Disregarding and disrespecting who Nancy Pelosi is and what she has done Sogo May 31 #25

What we need right now is to flip red seats to blue. Not replacing seats we already hold GoodRaisin May 31 #28

For all of my voting life Faux pas May 31 #32

The powers that be? sheshe2 May 31 #38

Not necessarily Jilly_in_VA May 31 #43

Welp sheshe2 May 31 #46

Jilly is right. progressoid Jun 1 #79

And David is going to do the exact same thing. sheshe2 Jun 1 #82

I'm not defending Hogg. progressoid Jun 2 #96

They can, and I hope to the cosmos they will. Xavier Breath May 31 #35

Youth, by itself, isn't enough. no_hypocrisy May 31 #36

He has the right message but he is the wrong messenger. LonePirate May 31 #39

This! fujiyamasan Jun 1 #75

Does he have any qualifications Retrograde May 31 #44

This! sheshe2 May 31 #47

Very similar campaign site theme to Harry Jarin's. Quiet Em May 31 #49

I remember feeling the same way when I was a young adult engaging in the act of voting which means learning who our reps msfiddlestix May 31 #50

This is the guy who was wearing a t-shirt bearing the image of a Nazi collaborator a few years back, so JohnSJ May 31 #52

"It's not good enough for someone to say, 'I'm middle-aged, vote for me!' No, that's not good enough." betsuni May 31 #58

I hope so. H2O Man May 31 #61

Pelosi still seems sharp fujiyamasan Jun 1 #76

Saying she wants Rahm to be president Tree Lady Jun 1 #83

Where did she say that? Far as I know, she said he was probably going to run. betsuni Jun 1 #88

Your right I looked it up she was Tree Lady Jun 1 #89

It didn't sound like an endorsement fujiyamasan Jun 1 #94

When the young Democrats turn out to vote in the same percentage as Pelosi's generation elocs Jun 1 #86

Is shs really going to run for reelection at 86? Renew Deal Jun 1 #90

If the policy platforms and positions of a candidate Torchlight Jun 2 #98

I'm kinda done arguing with y'all Jilly_in_VA Jun 2 #99

Democrats... CNYHarris Jun 2 #101

BLAH. Sounds like he already has a job AkFemDem Jun 2 #102

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