Progressives blame 'divide-and-conquer racism' for Democrats' House losses

Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Progressive House Democrats are shifting the blame for last week's dismal House showing.

As it became clear Democrats wouldn't expand their majority in the House this year, moderate Democrats began blaming their party's left wing, including in a testy post-election caucus call where Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) profanely decried any mention of "socialism" within the party. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) quickly told the party to stop "pointing fingers," and on Tuesday, a memo began circulating among progressive representatives that tried to break down just went wrong.

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Part of that economic message is clear in the suggested Biden Cabinet picks the progressive Justice Democrats and Sunrise Movement unveiled Wednesday. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as Labor Secretary and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as Treasury Secretary top their list. Tlaib would be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) would be secretary of state, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison would be attorney general, among their other choices.

Republicans could retain control of the Senate if Georgia's runoffs go their way, which would jeopardize hopes of approving progressive nominees. Biden said Tuesday he wouldn't let the alignment of the Senate affect his choices, and that he may announce some picks by Thanksgiving.

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.