The Squad in the spotlight: AOC, progressive peers face primary challenges of their own

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | 6/12/20 | Joseph Ax, Susan Cornwell

[Libloather]

(Reuters) - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's stunning upset over a member of the Democratic congressional leadership in 2018 made her a household name and inspired similar insurgent campaigns around the United States.

Now the democratic socialist from New York City, best known by her initials AOC, must survive her own challenge from within the party in a June 23 primary election. Two other members of "the Squad" – four women of color who, in their first terms, have become the face of the U.S. House of Representatives' liberal wing – also face primary challengers.

Like Ocasio-Cortez, Michigan's Rashida Tlaib and Minnesota's Ilhan Omar face opponents who have accused them of prioritizing their celebrity over their constituents.

The contests – along with races like liberal Jamaal Bowman's challenge to 16-term Congressman Eliot Engel in New York – offer a new gauge of the strength of the party's left wing, months after Senator Bernie Sanders lost the presidential nominating battle to the more moderate Joe Biden.

A win over any "Squad" member would be an upset, and each has raised significantly more money than her opponents. But Engel appears to have a close fight on his hands, as Bowman – backed by liberal groups including MoveOn and Justice Democrats – has secured endorsements from both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez.

[Libloather]

"I can't believe a representative would throw away 25,000 jobs and brag about it," Caruso-Cabrera, 53, said in an interview. "People of the Bronx are tired of the Bronx being appropriated for her personal power grab."

Yep, the bartender did do all that.

[Terry L Smith]

May their reign in Congress, pass as burritoes do!

[CptnObvious]

She did a huge favor for America, the Republicans and Donald Trump; She pulled the Democrats and their Media HARD LEFT and it looks like they may never recover from it.

[BTerclinger]

be aware that AOC has raised over $10 million in campaign contributions.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/aoc-raises-10-5-million-ahead-of-heated-june-23-primary