Jayapal's early leadership maneuvers raise House Dem eyebrows

[brooklynite]

Politico

As House Democrats’ top trio seeks reelection, their looming leadership battle is essentially frozen in place — with one big exception.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) is stepping up calls to her colleagues about seeking a caucus-wide position next year, according to more than 15 lawmakers and aides. Her approach is a stark contrast with the other dozen or so Democrats privately eyeing leadership posts after the midterms, all of whom have avoided overt campaigning of any kind that might risk being seen as overstepping their longtime leaders.

Jayapal has even left some in the caucus with the impression that she could challenge Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), a fellow member of the progressive wing. The third-term lawmaker has tapped two allies to help muster support, having Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) and David Scott (D-Ga.) make calls on her behalf.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus chief has leveraged the power of her liberal bloc in highly public ways this year, which several of her colleagues speculated could be laying the groundwork for a caucus-wide run. But some of those tactics — such as progressives’ effort to hold up a bipartisan infrastructure law in a bid to lock down a separate party-line social spending bill — have made her a target for intra-party griping.

And most in the caucus view open jostling over an undefined leadership spot as counterproductive with the House majority at stake.

[Tomconroy]

1. Certainly raised my eyebrows.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

5. Why ?

[awesomerwb1]

2. Shocker

Not a fan

[cbabe]

4. Why? She and her staff are consistently effective, responsive, hard working, personable.

And Rep. Jayapal has 80% (?) approval rating in her district.

[maxsolomon]

7. She walks on water here.

The 7th is the Liberal Heart of WA State.

Why? Because she leads the Progressive caucus in only 3 terms in office, uses her power for good, and pushes aggressively for Progressive legislation. She's also extremely effective on TV.

I'd love to hear the objections of the Naysayers on this thread - but it looks like they're hit-and-runners.

[FrankBooth]

9. None from me

While I don't agree on every position she takes, she is good at her job, is not a self-righteous grandstander and actually gives a shit. She has my vote for as long as she needs it.

And this kind of jostling is hardly surprising, nor is it out of bounds - if it was, she wouldn't be doing it, she's too smart.

[Hortensis]

19. Cbabe, that's the point. They're NOT. When Jayapal broke from

the over 200-member house Democratic caucus over the form of the first infrastructure bill, only about one-third, 30 or so, of the progressive caucus members went with her.

When she publicly claimed she might kill the entire $1.2 trillion bill if Manchin didn't cave, a bunch of those who'd stuck with her bolted. Way too extreme for them.

It was terribly important that we pass that historic legislation before the elections that month, but Jayapal ignored all entreaties and continued to block passage -- and we lost several seats in that election.

After this disaster -- and Pelosi rounded up a few conservative votes to pass the bill without Jayapal -- the remnants of her support (which had dropped to maybe 15-20 out of over 200) abandoned Jayapal, leavign her alone. Very briefly, before she followed them and joined the house caucus lead by Nancy Pelosi to pass the $1.2 trillion infrastructure and jobs creation package. (The four, I think, "squad" holdouts were a tiny competing "bloc" who'd been doing their own thing.)

This was a disaster for Jayapal personally, not just harmful to the entire Democratic Party and a potential disaster for the many millions of Americans who needed us to pass this bill -- as we'd promised we would.

[cbabe]

3. Another strong intelligent ambitious woman of color making waves.

[Hekate]

6. A politician politicking; I'm shocked, I tell you

[comradebillyboy]

8. I am not a leftie but Jayapal has impressed me

with her desire to make actual progress. She displays vastly more political skill than most other well known House progressives. She has earned her place in house leadership and I wish her continued success.

[dpibel]

10. Dems in disarray?

What's your take on this story?

[Celerity]

11. Fuck that RW shitrag Politico

[cbabe]

16. Trolls. Not legitimate discourse.

[Fiendish Thingy]

12. Jayapal has earned a bigger leadership role. Nt

[budkin]

13. Politico is utter trash

I don't take anything they say seriously.

[brooklynite]

15. Are you saying there aren't political maneuverings in the House Caucus?

Or that Jayapal isn't engaged in it?

Or that it shouldn't be reported in a media outlet that focuses in politics?

[nolabear]

14. How uppity of her...

I’m just outside Jayapal’s district and have watched he GET THINGS DONE for years, putting herself out there, never doing the timid, lip-service thing re her principles. She’s a smart, savvy, experienced woman who has every right, and I’d say some responsibility, to fight out loud. To try to shame her for that is disgraceful.

[aocommunalpunch]

17. Money says nah.

Jeffries is better at bringing in the bucks, so there’s that.

[DeeNice]

18. everybody loves a catfight, amiright...