Meet the New House Democrats: They May Not Toe the Party Line
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The freshman House Democrats are the most diverse, most female class in history — and span the ideological spectrum. They arrive in Washington for orientation this week.
WASHINGTON — There is a former N.F.L. linebacker, a climate scientist, and a rapper with a Harvard Law degree. There is one immigrant from Somalia and another from Ecuador. There are two former C.I.A. officials, an Air Force veteran, a former Navy helicopter pilot, and a retired Marine commander — all of them women. Not to mention a pediatrician and a human rights advocate.
When these and other newly elected House Democrats arrive in Washington for their orientation this week, they will reflect the most diverse, most female freshman class in history — a group of political neophytes, savvy veterans of the Obama and Clinton administrations, as well as the first Muslim women and Native American women ever elected to Congress.
The class is ideologically diverse as well, spanning the philosophical spectrum from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a self-described democratic socialist from New York, to Joe Cunningham, a South Carolina lawyer who won a stunning upset victory in the Charleston suburbs, on the strength of his promises to put “country over party” and work with President Trump. That could prove a management headache for Democratic leaders.
“The new Democratic leadership and the entire Democratic caucus will really have to pull together to insure a unified legislative agenda that appeals to constituents in Brooklyn, New York, while appealing to constituents in Brooklyn, Iowa,” said Steve Israel, a former congressman from New York and one-time chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “The way to keep these new Democrats in 2020 is not to do things that force their voters to reconsider, and that won’t be easy.”
WASHINGTON — There is a former N.F.L. linebacker, a climate scientist, and a rapper with a Harvard Law degree. There is one immigrant from Somalia and another from Ecuador. There are two former C.I.A. officials, an Air Force veteran, a former Navy helicopter pilot, and a retired Marine commander — all of them women. Not to mention a pediatrician and a human rights advocate.
When these and other newly elected House Democrats arrive in Washington for their orientation this week, they will reflect the most diverse, most female freshman class in history — a group of political neophytes, savvy veterans of the Obama and Clinton administrations, as well as the first Muslim women and Native American women ever elected to Congress.
The class is ideologically diverse as well, spanning the philosophical spectrum from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a self-described democratic socialist from New York, to Joe Cunningham, a South Carolina lawyer who won a stunning upset victory in the Charleston suburbs, on the strength of his promises to put “country over party” and work with President Trump. That could prove a management headache for Democratic leaders.
“The new Democratic leadership and the entire Democratic caucus will really have to pull together to insure a unified legislative agenda that appeals to constituents in Brooklyn, New York, while appealing to constituents in Brooklyn, Iowa,” said Steve Israel, a former congressman from New York and one-time chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “The way to keep these new Democrats in 2020 is not to do things that force their voters to reconsider, and that won’t be easy.”
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