One robin doesn’t make a spring. And one Democratic Socialist, or even two, don’t automatically mean one of our two large parties has turned hard left.
Much is being made of the defeat of a long-time white Democrat congressman in the primary by a young woman of color who is a “democratic socialist,” whatever that is. Basically, a Bernie Sanders wannabe one supposes.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won in a minority-majority district in a primary election with a very small turnout. The incumbent was busy in DC with his Democratic leadership role and didn’t do much until too late. Given all this, his loss, like that of Eric Cantor, is predictable in hindsight.
Asked about it, Nancy Pelosi downplayed its significance. I’d guess she’s correct. In primary elections only the highly motivated bother to vote, and they tend to hold the most extreme views.
Probably the most important aspect of her win is that her opponent, a man viewed by some as Pelosi’s logical successor, is quite suddenly a lame duck. The party will have to look elsewhere for its next House leader, as Republicans had to do when Cantor lost. It happens.
