Another older House Democrat gets a primary challenger
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Rep. Brad Sherman speaks at a House Financial Services Committee hearing on Dec. 13, 2022. Photo: Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images.
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) is the latest House Democrat facing a younger primary insurgent — in this case, his 37-year-old former aide.
Why it matters: The challenge to Sherman, 70, comes as Democrats are bracing for a deluge of primary fights driven by grassroots anger towards the party establishment.
- House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 85, is being challenged by Saikat Chakrabarti, a 39-year-old former top aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
- A 26-year-old left-wing influencer, Kat Abughazaleh, is running against 80-year-old Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.).
Driving the news: Jake Rakov, a onetime deputy communications director for Sherman, launched his candidacy Wednesday morning with a video in which he ripped his ex-boss. His candidacy was first reported by Politico.
- "If you want to know why we as Democrats are so bad at fighting back against Trump, look at guys like my former boss," Rakov said.
- Citing Sherman's nearly 30-year tenure in Congress, Rakov said he is running on a 10-year congressional term limit — as well as pledges that he will hold town halls in the district and won't take corporate PAC money.
The other side: Sherman, in a phone interview with Axios, expressed confidence about his chances, citing his 20-point victory against a fellow House Democrat in 2012 after a bitter race.
- "I always get half a dozen opponents. The crypto industry has been trying to find somebody major in the district, somebody who holds elective office," Sherman said.
- The congressman also disputed the notion that he isn't active in the district and said he plans to hold an in-person town hall later this month.
Zoom out: Rakov's challenge comes as the liberal grassroots are in virtually open rebellion against their party's leadership.
- Tensions within the party erupted last month after some Senate Democrats voted to pass Republicans' government funding bill rather than use it as leverage.
- Democrats across the country have faced heated town hall audiences and low approval ratings among members of their own party.
- In interviews with Axios, Abughazaleh and Chakrabarti refused to commit to voting for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as speaker.
What they're saying: Asked about Rakov's run, Jeffries said Democrats have to "continue to intensify the effort to match the diabolical intensity of [Trump's] 'flood the zone' strategy."
- "Primaries happen each and every cycle. I had a primary from the hard left in 2022. My response to that was: Come on in, the water is warm," he added.
- "It's a democracy, and the American people will ultimately decide these things in congressional district after congressional district."
Editor's note; This story has been updated with additional reporting.
