James Comey Is Urging Democrats Not to Vote Socialist

Former CIA director James Comey is not shy about expressing his opinions. Just last week, Comey took to Twitter to urge Americans to vote Democrat in the coming elections. To be exact, Comey said, “All who believe in this country’s values must vote for Democrats this fall. Policy differences don’t matter right now. History has its eyes on us.”
Today, Comey took his advice one step further, urging Americans to vote only for “mainstream” Democracts. Comey told Democrats that they shouldn’t “lose their minds” by rushing to vote for “socialist” candidates. Instead, they should stick to “mainstream” candidates who can serve the “great middle” in American politics.
Comey is a lifelong Republican who recently announced that he was leaving the Republican party.” The tweet was reminiscent of a recent editorial by another centrist, politician, Joe Lieberman. Just days ago, Lieberman wrote an editorial urging Democrats to vote against Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Democractic Socialist candidate for Congress in New York. It was hard not to think that Comey was talking about Ocasio-Cortez too, especially since she made the rounds of the Sunday morning talk shows today.

Here’s what you need to know.


1. The Democratic Socialists of America Are Fielding 42 Candidates For Election This Year. Ocasio-Cortez Is Their Most High Profile New Candidate

There are currently 45,000 dues-paying members of the Democratic Socialist party.
The Democratic Socialists are endorsing 42 candidates for political office. They are backing candidates for federal, state, and local office in 20 states, including Florida, Hawaii, Kansas and Michigan.
Bernie Sanders is probably the best-known Democratic Socialist candidate in the US. The Vermont senator had a huge following and a real chance at winning the Democratic primary in 2016, and he remains a force to be reckoned with in US politics. Politicians like Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and California Senator Kamala Harris are also supporting the Democratic Socialist platform. But the Democratic Socialists’ most up-and-coming new candidate is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 28 year old bartender who is running for Congress in New York.
Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders have already started campaigning together, stumping for other candidates with similiar, progressive views. (Ocasio-Cortez also worked as an organizer on Sanders’ presidential campaign back in 2016.) On Sunday, Ocasio-Sanders and Bernie Sanders appeared on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.  Ocasio-Cortez said that she won the primary in New York because of her stance on college tuition and healthcare, and because she was a relatable candidate who can appeal to the needs of ordinary New Yorkers.

Both she and Sanders said that this is a progressive moment in America, and a time when voters will choose grassroots candidates. Praising Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders said, “She put together a strong grass-roots campaign and she worked her tail off,” he continued. “And any candidate in America who is prepared to do that, I think, has an excellent chance of winning.”


2. Comey Isn’t the Only Guy Worried that the Socialists Are Going to Weaken the Democratic Party

Many established Democrats seem to have the same concerns as Comey, who tweeted today that Democrats would be losing their minds if they voted for socialists. Just days ago, Joe Lieberman wrote that New Yorkers should vote against Ocasio Cortez; the former senator of Connecticut said that New Yorkers should back mainstream candidates. He added that Nancy Pelosi agrees with him.

Pelosi said recently that she “rejects” the idea that Democratic Socialism is on the rise. Pelosi, who was a strong supporter of Ocasio-Cortez;s opponent, said that the Democratic party is a “big tent” party with room for all, but she denied that it is veering to the left or being shaken by socialists.


3. Republicans Say That Embracing Socialist Positions Will Only Make Democrats “More Out of Touch” — And Less Electable

Ronna Romney, the chair of the Republican National Committee, seemed to be rejoicing in the rise of the Democratic Socialist party. She recently tweeted that “embracing socialist policies like government-run health care, a guaranteed jobs program and open borders will only make Democrats more out of touch.”
Steve Scalie, the House Majority Whip, went on Fox News today to defend ICE. He later tweeted, “Republicans #StandWithICE. Period. Democrats want open borders and to abolish an organization that keeps our country safe from terrorism, human trafficking, and gang violence.”


4. Other Democrats Say Ocasio-Cortez Is Already Making Enemies In Congress And Will “Get Her Comeuppance”

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Democrats on Capitol Hill have said that Ocasio-Cortez is alienating some of their members — even before she’s been elected. Bill Pascrell, of New Jersey, told The Hill that there is “no doubt” that Ocasio-Cortez has already made some enemies among Democrats in Congress. He said her brash, undiplomatic style was rubbing people the wrong way — especially Congressmembers who had been close to Joe Crowley, the long-standing incumbent who Ocasio-Cortez defeated in the New York primary.
And Alcee Hastings, of Florida, compared Ocasio-Cortez to a “meteor,” warning darkly that “meteors fizzle out.” Hastings said that in the House of Representatives, “no matter how far you rise, that’s just how far you will ultimately get your comeuppance.”


Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders Hit the Campaign Trail Together This Week, Stumping for Progressive Candidates in Kansas

Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders visited Kansas together this week to campaign for two congressional candidates seeking to unseat Republican incumbents in Kansas: James Thompson in Wichita, and former Sanders delegate Brent Welder in the suburbs of Kansas City.
Welder said last week that having Ocasio-Cortez’s support made a huge difference to his campagin: “It’s a huge boost to our campaign to welcome Senator Sanders and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez to Wichita,” he said. “The interest and enthusiasm here has been electric.”
And next week, Ocasio-Cortez will be back in the midwest, appearing at campaign rallies for Abdul El-Sayed, 33, a progressive candidate for governor of Michigan. While she’s in Michigan she will also visit Grand Rapids, Flint and Detroit.

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