Since Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in 2018, the "squad" of freshman lefties — composed of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Ilhan Omar — has gotten a great deal of media attention. But the Democratic leadership has been less impressed. "They're four people," Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi scoffed earlier this year.
However, these women will have some new allies in the next Congress. Thanks to primary victories in deep-blue districts, at least three more new members will be joining them. There is Cori Bush, a Black Lives Matter activist who won in Missouri's 1st district, Jamaal Bowman, a former middle school principal who won in New York's 16th district, and Mondaire Jones, a former attorney who won in New York's 17th district. The first two also ousted longtime incumbents.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Zohran Mamdani: the young progressive likely to be New York City's next mayorIn The Spotlight The policies and experience that led to his meteoric rise
-
The best film reboots of all timeThe Week Recommends Creativity and imagination are often required to breathe fresh life into old material
-
'More must be done'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidentsThe Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
How Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral run will change the Democratic PartyTalking Points The candidate poses a challenge to the party's 'dinosaur wing'
-
Is Trump's military parade 'just a parade'?Talking Point Critics see an 'echo of authoritarianism'
-
Is Trump's LA troop deployment about order or authoritarianism?Talking Points President: 'We're going to have troops everywhere.'
-
Is Trump trying to take over Congress?Talking Points Separation of powers at stake in Library of Congress fight
-
The anger fueling the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez barnstorming tourTalking Points The duo is drawing big anti-Trump crowds in red states
-
Why the GOP is nervous about Ken Paxton's Senate runToday's Big Question A MAGA-establishment battle with John Cornyn will be costly
-
Bombs or talks: What's next in the US-Iran showdown?Talking Points US gives Tehran a two-month deadline to deal
