Protester urges Tom Perez to back Democratic primary challengers
By David Weigel February 15 at 8:22 PM
The restive energy on the Democratic Party’s left broke through at the Women’s National Democratic Club on Wednesday night, as a protester interrupted a forum with candidates for Democratic National Committee chair to demand primary challenges.
As former secretary of labor Tom Perez was answering a question, an activist named Natalie Green rose from the audience with a banner reading #Resist. After introducing herself as a survivor of sexual assault, and saying that President Trump was “surrounding himself with white nationalists,” Green asked whether Perez would “commit to supporting primary challengers to fight against Democrats who refuse to resist Donald Trump’s agenda.”
“Please respect the forum and the way this event has been organized,” said Stephanie Ruhle, an MSNBC host who was co-moderating the forum. Green repeated her question, and after one more repetition — and after security removed the banner but allowed Green to stay — Perez launched into a polite non-answer.
“Part of the reason I love the Democratic Party, folks, is that it’s a big tent,” he said. “When we have spirited debates, you know what it reminds me of? Thanksgiving with my family.”
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