Aggressive democratic newcomers could bring change to the House

(WASHINGTON) – Ready or not, change is happening in the House Democrats.

Across the country, a new generation is heading to Washington. It's not just that some Democrats, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 28, are young and progressive. They are. Or that many are women entering politics who want to fight against President Donald Trump. They do. Or even that some of them live in the country of Trump.

They also come to politics steeped in an era of resistance and revolt, as the Tea Party Republicans who rose up against President Barack Obama Nixon

If Newcomers Provide the Numbers to Give Democrats control the House, or even fail and end up in the ranks of the minority, they will be a force to count with the arrival. This is particularly true for Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., The long-time Democratic Leader of the House.

"There is a thirst for generational change for a new generation of leaders," said Ro Khanna, California. "I think we're going to see some of the most impressive young people being elected across the country, and I think it's an amazing class, like the Watergate class."

Last Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez won an astonishing election election in New York, overthrowing Queens MP Joe Crowley. He was once considered a possible successor to Pelosi, but has now become a symbol of how the party is transformed in the Trump era.

The defeat of Crowley, the leader of the Democratic caucus, opens fourth place on the leadership ladder. A tough competition should replace it, but leadership changes may not stop there.

Several Democratic congressional candidates said that they would not support Pelosi as a leader. And even some of those Democrats who want Pelosi to take the hammer of the speaker, if the Democrats regain the majority, said that new approaches are needed.

"I think there was a lack of listening in the field, a lack of openness," Ocasio-Cortez said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." She pointed out that a Democratic party might lose touch with its communities. "The message is not so clear to the communities we are trying to represent – are we fighting or not?"

Ocasio-Cortez , who says to be a Democrat socialist is "a part of who I am, that's not all I did not mean if she would support Pelosi as a House leader, qualifying any decision now" premature ".

There is no obvious substitute for Pelosi or the second Democrat, the House whip, Steny Hoyer. Many are not convinced that there will be an immediate reshuffle of leaders after the elections. But in the coming years, even newcomers "like Alexandria could be there," said Khanna, who supported both Ocasio-Cortez and Crowley in the race. "The traditional rules of politics do not apply."

Pelosi showed no sign of relaxing his grip on leadership, however.

"We just want to win," she told reporters this week. She recalled the issues she heard after the March of Women in 2017, when people were wondering how the Democrats would use all that energy. She said that she told them, "It's not a question of how we are going to use it. It's a question about how they will use us. "

She added last week:" Everything is at stake in our country. People all see the urgency, they want to take responsibility. This gives us the opportunity to win. "

" I just said, "Just win, baby & # 39; , "she said.

Ruben Gallego of Arizona, a Navy fighter of the Iraq war, is not one to rule out the stamina of Pelosi and the other great leaders, but it is certain that they will be tested by the newcomers.

"Whatever leaders of this caucus, they will be accountable to this new caucus," he said. he says, "They will have to come to caucus and make arguments – why they are in leadership and why they should stay in leadership."

A traditional factor in leadership races has been fundraising. Pelosi was the party's best fundraiser, and Crowley has long been adept at bringing donors to the table. But the younger generation of Democrats does not value fundraising as leaders do. At a time when candidates like Ocasio-Cortez can win a primary with a large presence on social media and small donations, they do not have to live up to the power structure. of the party

. "It's not going to fly with these new members of Congress," Gallego said.

Other competing factors will be at stake when House Democrats decide on their leadership list, including ideology and geography. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Democrats must "ensure that progressives are represented in leadership." The primary elections show that "bold progressive messages are working, and we hope leadership will take to heart," he said.

Rep. Cheri Bustos, of Illinois, one of the twelve Democrats who represent the districts Trump won in the 2016 election, said it's the corners of the country like his Midwest stronghold that should have more than voice in leadership. She wants the caucus to reflect the geographic diversity of the nation.

"Where we need more Democrats in those districts that are a bit harder to navigate," Bustos said. "And I think it's very important that we do not lose sight of that."

As a senior Democrat on the Rules Committee, Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said that he would like to loosen the process to give more rank – and lawmakers files have the opportunity to propose amendments. This would allow them to bring their ideas to the table.

McGovern said that it recently took him two hours to shop at his home because so many voters stopped to talk with him. Voters, he said, want the Democrats "to stand up to Trump's racism and his sectarianism and all his hateful policies." But they also want them to advance on democratic priorities, he said. just so we're right on the issues, "he said." They want to know what we're going to do to fight for these problems. "