Jim Messina called out Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday, criticizing her for backing progressives over incumbents in Democratic primaries and arguing that “dumb s***” like that could ultimately cost the party.
Messina, who served as the 2012 campaign manager for former President Barack Obama, was responding to the news that Ocasio-Cortez was endorsing Alessandra Biaggi in her race to unseat Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Sean Patrick Maloney.
“This is so counter-productive,” Messina tweeted. “The Supreme Court is about to outlaw abortion. We could lose both houses. So we are going to focus our time running against each other? Now we’re primarying committed progressives because … why? If we lose house it’s because of dumb s*** like this.”
This is so counter-productive. The Supreme Court is about to outlaw abortion. We could lose both houses. So we are going to focus our time running against each other? Now we’re primarying commited progressives because. . .why? If we lose house it’s because of dumb shit like this https://t.co/fErOy85yrI
— Jim Messina (@Messina2012) June 7, 2022
Elections analyst Geoffrey Skelley argued that Messina might be missing part of the larger picture, noting that Maloney had opted to run in Congressional District 17 rather than defend his current seat in Congressional District 18.
“This conveniently ignores the fact Maloney opted to run in NY-17 instead of NY-18, which has ~70% of his current constituents, because it’s more competitive, thus big footing a Black Democrat out of NY-17 instead of defending NY-18 as the chair of the DCCC,” Skelley tweeted.
This conveniently ignores the fact Maloney opted to run in NY-17 instead of NY-18, which has ~70% of his current constituents, because it’s more competitive, thus big footing a Black Democrat out of NY-17 instead of defending NY-18 as the chair of the DCCC. https://t.co/Z18uHvZjtD
— Geoffrey Skelley (@geoffreyvs) June 8, 2022
“You literally went and worked for the British Conservative party against Labour. I never want to be on any team you are on. Judas,” @Mike_from_PA tweeted in response to Messina.
“Interesting spin of the DCCC chair Maloney absconding his old district after the redraw to primary/push-out Mondaire Jones for the priority of his own political safety over that of the greater majority,” @wideofthepost added.
Jones was not impressed with Maloney’s decision either, saying at the time, “Sean Patrick Maloney did not even give me a heads up before he went on Twitter to make that announcement. And I think that tells you everything you need to know about Sean Patrick Maloney.”
@EricShapiro3 added, “Yea, the Supreme Court is about to outlaw abortion. That’s why we must replace corporate Democrats with progressives who will use their power to EXPAND THE COURT (and abolish the filibuster).”
Several critics also pointed out the fact that even if the Supreme Court opted to overturn landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade, that would not outlaw abortion — it would simply return the power to regulate and/or outlaw it to the states.