AOC-backed candidates go belly-up like Bernie Sanders in Texas

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez failed to topple the Democratic establishment in Texas on Super Tuesday — with leftist allies failing to beat a House incumbent or defeat the Senate pick of party leaders.

AOC’s candidates flopped alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders’s presidential bid in the state, also backed by AOC but defeated amid a surge for Joe Biden.

In the House race, immigration lawyer Jessica Cisneros came up short with 48.2 percent against Blue Dog Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of South Texas. Progressives had hoped Cisneros would repeat AOC’s stunning 2018 victory over 10-term Rep. Joe Crowley in New York.

For the Senate, AOC-backed Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez placed third with 13.2 percent, stomped by establishment favorite M.J. Hegar, who had support from the Washington-based Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Ocasio-Cortez’s group Courage to Change backed the two failed candidates.

“I am so incredibly proud of Jessica Cisneros,” AOC wrote on Twitter. “At 26 years old, she ran for office for the first time to offer TX28 new leadership that fights for workers, gender rights,& a climate agenda. She stood up to Koch brother money & incumbency, & she came closer than anyone imagined.”

AOC added: “my heart is also full at the candidacy of [Ramirez] whose race is currently too close to call in the runoff for TX Senate. These women come from backgrounds that typically make running for office inaccessible. They are holding their own & building progressive power.”

An Ocasio-Cortez acolyte fared better in California, where House candidate Georgette Gomez placed second in a San Diego district, advancing to the November general election against fellow Democrat Sara Jacobs.

In a Twitter post thanking AOC, Gomez wrote: “Thank you, we couldn’t have done it without your support and help. Onwards!!!”

Sanders’ unexpected defeat to Biden in Texas derailed his seeming frontrunner status for the Democratic presidential nomination. Democrats terrified of a Sanders nomination have privately joked that they’re glad AOC is just 30, barred by the Constitution’s 35-year age limit from being his running mate.

AOC’s revolution will face additional tests this year in House primaries in Illinois, Nebraska, New Mexico and New York.

Source: Read Full Article