They may have lost the presidency, the House, and the Senate, but when it comes to avoiding introspection, the Democrats are completely undefeated. You’d have thought that after the disastrous presidential election, the Democrats might have taken some time to figure out what went wrong. You’d have thought they might have decided to try and refresh the party – make it more relevant to disenchanted voters. You’d have thought they might have realized that they needed to shake things up.
Well, you’d have thought wrong. As the recent drama with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shows, it’s business as usual with the Democratic establishment. Instead of trying to present a fresh new face to the world, they’re continuing to be a party of geriatric multimillionaires who are more concerned about pomp and procedure than actually winning elections.
The race between AOC and Connolly was broadly seen as not just representing a competition between two people but two different futures for the Democratic party. AOC represented a generational shift: a fresh young face and energetic communicator who represents a more anti-establishment spirit. Connolly was business as usual for the Democrats. For a while, it seemed like AOC had a real shot at winning, but then 84-year-old Nancy Pelosi, recovering in hospital from hip-replacement surgery, reportedly made a bunch of phone calls and urged people to back Connolly. On Tuesday, he won by a vote of 131-84.
Her metamorphosis hasn’t gone unnoticed. “The view of her is evolving,” the representative Glenn Ivey told Axios. “She seems to have changed her approach to legislating, and I think she’s figured out how to rock the boat without tipping it over.” At this stage, however, AOC might be realizing that despite selling out a lot of her supporters, the Democratic establishment still aren’t prepared to let her steer the ship. Maybe when she’s in her 80s it’ll finally be her turn.
While AOC may not be the progressive force she once was, having her as the lead Democrat on the House oversight committee would still have represented a shift for the Democratic party. Elevating her into a leadership position would have signaled a new start. Instead, it looks like the Democrats are committed to repeating the same old strategies, with the same aging politicians, in the hope that, this time, they might work.