Five Democrats the left plans to target | TheHill – The Hill

Progressives are preparing to try to clear out Democrats they say are hampering their ability to remodel the country while their party still controls Congress.

They see the skeleton Build Back Better (BBB) package and failed voting rights bill as warning signs that a few stubborn lawmakers can and, if given the chance, will block and blow up the liberal vision they had dreamed about enacting when President BidenJoe BidenFormer chairman of Wisconsin GOP party signals he will comply with Jan. 6 committee subpoena Romney tests positive for coronavirus Pelosi sidesteps progressives' March 1 deadline for Build Back Better MORE took office.

When things fell further apart last week, leaving the president and congressional Democrats scrambling for a way to advance their two main priorities, progressives saw a clear fix to all of it: primary challenges ahead of November.

We need strong progressives in Congress to have some sort of counterweight and leverage against the conservative, corporate backed Democrats who are an obstacle to delivering results, said Waleed Shaheed, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats,a progressive group that has backed several liberal challengers to Democratic incumbents in recent years.

These primaries are where those seats come from, where that leverage comes from, he said.

Manyonthe left are outraged that Sens. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinPelosi sidesteps progressives' March 1 deadline for Build Back Better On The Money Fed's inflation tracker at fastest pace since '82 Billionaire GOP donor maxed out to Manchin following his Build Back Better opposition MORE (D-W.Va.) and Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) joined Republicans last week in opposing a rule changeto the filibusterand in doing so killed off a voting rights bill. They are equally furious that the same two holdouts, particularly Manchin, sank Bidens social and climate spending package.

While both bills have defined Bidens first year in office, progressives see them as just the start.

They believe the moderate duo in the Senate and many more in the House will vote against their proposals as often as possible in 2022 and 2024, creating further pressure to oust them from within their own ranks before it gets to that point.

Manchin and Sinema arent up for reelection in 2022, but here are five moderate Democrats the left plans to target:

1) Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas)

Jessica Cisneross quest to remove longtime moderate Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas) from his position as a key centrist negotiator on Capitol Hill has attracted the most progressive energy this cycle.

Cuellar, a 10-term incumbent currently embroiled in an FBI investigation for alleged improper ties to Azerbaijan, is one of progressives biggestpotential gets.

He was seen as a major barrier to left-wing lawmakers goal of keeping Bidenssocial safety net packagelinked to the bipartisan infrastructure bill in November, arguing that he and others in similar positions in conservative districts needed an accomplishment to talk up back home.

Cisneros, a working class Mexican American woman, has a very different vision.

She gained someprominence forchallenging Cuellar for the same seat in Texass 28thCongressional District in 2020. And since then, progressives have become more interested in her candidacy. Like many on the left, she is firmly against corporate money in politics, particularly from the fossil fuel industryin the oil-rich state.Cuellar has sustained pushback from liberals over his ties to Big Oil.

While Cisneros is backed by liberal lawmakers, Cuellar, whos held his seat since 2005, has establishment weight behind his bid, including Majority Leader Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerClyburn calls for full-court press on voting rights Biden talks climate and child care provisions of Build Back Better agenda with top CEOs The Hill's Morning Report - Biden: Russia attack 'would change the world' MORE (Md.), the No. 2Democrat in the House. Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiPelosi sidesteps progressives' March 1 deadline for Build Back Better Let's 'reimagine' political corruption Briahna Joy Gray discusses Pelosi's 2022 re-election announcement MORE (D-Calif.) has remained neutral so far, butsupportedhim last cycle against Cisneros.

2) Rep. Carolyn MaloneyCarolyn MaloneyOvernight Defense & National Security Inside Austin's civilian harm directive House committee to hear from former Washington Football Team employees on misconduct claims House Dems seek to advance Equal Rights Amendment after new DOJ opinion MORE (N.Y.)

Rana Abdelhamid is progressives biggest chance to create a liberal trifecta in deep blue New York.

Abdelhamid, a 28-year-old Muslim woman, is competing againstRep. Carolyn Maloney, a nearly three decade House veteran, for a shot at the 12thCongressional District of the state where Democrat-on-Democrat action is something of a blood sport.

In Abdelhamid, top strategists see an opening to recreate the fire theyve captured cycle after cycle in the state that sent Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOcasio-Cortez: Supporting Sinema challenge by someone like Gallego would be easy decision New Mexico Democrat tests positive for COVID-19 breakthrough case Warner tests positive for breakthrough COVID-19 case MORE and Jamaal Bowman to Congress against their more well-known and well-funded incumbent opponents.

The millennial progressive told The Hill she hopes that she can draw a contrast between her establishment rivalbacked by Wall Street and real estate who, she adds, has held this seat for as long as I have been alive.

We saw how important it is to have real progressives in Congress during the fight for Build Back Better,Abdelhamid said.We need leaders who will fight as hard as the people of this district already do.

3)Rep. Danny K. Davis (Ill.)

Activists desperate to send another social justice advocate to Capitol Hill have set their sights on Kina Collins, a young, Black gun violence prevention activist with ties to community organizing.

If Collinss story sounds familiar, its because it is strikingly similar to another progressive recruit from the activist class, Rep. Cori BushCori BushLaquan McDonald's family pushes for federal charges against officer ahead of early release Rep Cori Bush says 'gun violence shakes your soul' after car struck by gunfire Five Democrats the left plans to target MORE (D-Mo.), who rose to power and prominence by defeating longtime Rep. Wm. Lacy ClayWilliam (Lacy) Lacy ClayFive Democrats the left plans to target The FCC must act to promote minority-owned broadcasting Cori Bush hits her stride by drawing on activist past MORE (D-Mo.) amid an uproar over racial unrest.

Operatives see parallels between Bush and Collins, who is taking on Rep. Danny K. Davis, a 13-term lawmaker and member of the Congressional Black Caucus, in Illinois's 7thCongressional District.

Davis, progressives contend, is too closely tied to corporate money, which they say has long influenced his decision making, whereas Collins relies exclusively on small-dollar donations tofundher insurgent bid.

Illinois's7th District is one of the most unequal districts in the country, yet our representative Danny DavisDaniel (Danny) K. DavisFive Democrats the left plans to target Don't just delay student debt, prevent it Illinois Democrats propose new 'maximized' congressional map MORE has stopped showing up in the community, misses votes, and takes money from corporate donors, Collins said.

LikeAbdelhamid, Collins believes the ongoing struggle and public spectacle around passing Democrats social spending plan further spotlighted the need for her candidacy and others challenging lawmakerswholiberalssay are slowing things down.

We need progressive fighters, she said.

4) Rep. Tim RyanTimothy (Tim) RyanCooper becomes latest House Democrat to not seek reelection Marjorie Taylor Greene endorses JD Vance in Ohio Senate race The Hill's Morning Report - Biden, NATO eye 'all scenarios' with Russia MORE for Ohio Senate

Columbus native Morgan Harper, a former adviser for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, is challenging moderate Rep. Tim Ryan in the states Democratic Senate primary, a race thats attracting national eyeballs.

Harpers rsum reads a bit like Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenDemocrats press cryptomining companies on energy consumption Ocasio-Cortez: Supporting Sinema challenge by someone like Gallego would be easy decision Over 80 lawmakers urge Biden to release memo outlining his authority on student debt cancellation MOREs (D-Mass.). A lawyer and policy wonk, but from the Midwest, not Massachusetts.

She hopes that in Ohio, the state that Democrats have watched turn red over the last several cycles, shes making the pitch that populist policies like "Medicare for All" and the Green New Deal are needed to inject optimism and concrete results into struggling areas.

Ryan, a Youngstown native and early backer of Biden, has long enjoyed the support of the party's establishment wing. While some Democrats are skeptical that the seat can go to any candidate from their side of the aisle, Harper would have to outcompete the moderate factions favorite candidate in 10-term Ryan to have a shot against the eventual Republican nominee.

5) Rep. Jim CooperJim Cooper Romney tests positive for coronavirus DCCC expands list of vulnerable House Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Biden: Russia attack 'would change the world' MORE (Tenn.)

If theres an underdog to be had among progressives 2022 dream draft, its Odessa Kelly.

The young Nashville native is challenging Rep. Jim Cooper, a 16-term conservative Democrat and member of the Blue Dog Coalition in the House, forTennessee's 5thCongressional District.

Like other outsiders angling for a way in, Kelly, a mother of two, has the support of Justice Democrats and progressive groups like Indivisible, Brand New Congress, the Working Families Party and a slew of local and community leaders in Tennessee.

Her platform is unabashedly progressive.

While fellow organizers see hope in Kellys bid against Cooper, some privately acknowledge she has a tougher road ahead than her counterparts. Her district has been recently gerrymandered to lean toward Republican control, making it even harder for some to envision any Democrat clinging to power in the Southern enclave.

2024 Honorable Mentions:

6) Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.)

Theres no shortage of progressives who want Manchin out of Congress and away from politics altogether. But can anyone make that happen?

The West Virginia senator has been the lefts biggest problem child on Capitol Hill for the entirety of Bidens administration. FromBBBto the federal minimum wage, many progressives are loath to even refer to Manchin as a moderate, arguing that he is more of a Republican officeholder than a team member of the Democratic caucus.

Its notjust the left flank who ismad. As the negotiations around major legislation lagged for months for what he promised were good faith talks with the White House and congressional colleagues, many in the party felt he basically delivered a middle finger to the plans to pass an agenda that would address many social and environmental problems before the midterm elections.

The whole episode was cinematic. And it drastically upped the pressure among aggravated activists at the state and national levels to find someone who could be viable against him.

That, of course, wont be easy. Former President TrumpDonald TrumpFormer chairman of Wisconsin GOP party signals he will comply with Jan. 6 committee subpoena Overnight Defense & National Security Pentagon tells Russia to stand down Billionaire GOP donor maxed out to Manchin following his Build Back Better opposition MORE swept the state easily in both elections, and Manchin is still deeply popular with his constituents, despite the overall mood among Democrats in Washington souring on him.

7) Sen. Kyrsten SinemaKyrsten SinemaThe Hill's Morning Report - Democrats sense opportunity with SCOTUS vacancy Schumer finds unity moment in Supreme Court fight Left says they're not to blame for Biden's problems MORE (Ariz.)

Unlike Manchin, Sinema is a relatively newer target on the left. But shes quickly caught up to being equally reviled by those who want her out.

What started as a nascent primary Sinema movement among some rogue activists has gained steam in recent weeks after the first-term Arizona senator voted against amending the filibuster and effectively halted the debate on passing voting rights legislation.

Beyond the majority of Democrats in Congress, who have become increasingly unhappy with Sinemas position on the filibuster and refusal to budge after meeting several times directly with Biden, officials in her own state are even more upset.

Members of the Arizona Democratic Party recently voted tocensuretheir own senator after her GOP-aligned vote last week, a move that received praise from Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersSchumer finds unity moment in Supreme Court fight McConnell warns Biden not to 'outsource' Supreme Court pick to 'radical left' Briahna Joy Gray discusses Pelosi's 2022 re-election announcement MORE (I-Vt.), who has been critical of both Sinema and Manchin in their opposition to changing the procedure.

Activists say they expect a Sinema challenger to emerge ahead of 2024, with some anticipating that Rep.Ruben GallegoRuben GallegoOcasio-Cortez: Supporting Sinema challenge by someone like Gallego would be easy decision Poll: Sinema approval higher among Arizona Republicans than Democrats It's time for 'Uncle Joe' to take off the gloves against Manchin and Sinema MORE could mount anintraparty fight, despite shooting down the idea earlier.

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Five Democrats the left plans to target | TheHill - The Hill