Left-wing group mounts new push to unseat House Democrats
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
After two years of mostly playing defense, the left-wing group Justice Democrats is reengaging with its founding mission: Unseating establishment Democratic lawmakers it deems insufficiency progressive.
Why it matters: The group has has been behind some of the biggest primary upsets of the past few election cycles, namely Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D-N.Y.) shock win against a House Democratic leader in 2018.
- The group succeeded in ousting other Democratic incumbents in 2018 and 2020, as well as getting several progressive "Squad" members elected in open primaries.
- But it has also been losing ground in recent cycles, with the defeats of Rep. Marie Newman (D-Ill.) in 2022 and Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) last year.
Driving the news: In a press release shared with Axios, Justice Democrats said it is launching "candidate recruitment efforts in all 50 states."
- The organization said it will "recruit the next generation of primary challengers in Democratic primaries in open seats and blue districts against Democratic incumbents who are out-of-touch with their constituents."
- Justice Democrats had been teasing its plans to go on the offense in several fundraising emails in the aftermath of the 2024 election.
Zoom in: The release didn't specify which incumbents Justice Democrats plans to target, with spokesperson Usamah Andrabi telling Axios they are "keeping every deep blue district" on the table.
- "Nominations and conversations with the communities will guide the priorities, as well [as] how corporatist their rep is," Andrabi said.
- The release did make a pointed reference to 71-year-old Rep. George Latimer (D-N.Y.), who unseated Bowman, while noting that one in three members of Congress are over 65.
Between the lines: Progressives have been on the back foot since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023, which led to serious primary challenges against some of Congress' most pro-Palestinian progressives.
- Progressives have been smarting from those races, directing their ire at pro-Israel group AIPAC and the pro-cryptocurrency Fairshake PAC for pouring millions into challenges against Bush and Bowman.
What they're saying: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) — who has long made protecting Democratic incumbents a top priority — is challenging the left-wing group to start with him.
- "If the so-called Justice Democrats are serious about this effort, they should start in New York's 8th congressional district," said spokesperson Justin Chermol, referring to Jeffries' district.
- Latimer, in a statement to Axios, said he is "fully engaged in my work in the 119th Congress - and actively working with the people ... that gave me an overwhelming victory last year."
- "I'm confident they will judge me based on how well I do my job in the days to come," he added.
The intrigue: Some top House progressives told Axios they are staying out of Democratic primary fights and not endorsing against colleagues.
- "We can't tell other groups not to do that, but I think given what's at stake we feel really urgently that we need to protect all incumbents," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
- Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), the current deputy chair of the Progressive Caucus, told Axios: "There are folks who endorse against their own colleagues, but I don't."
