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Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Crystal Rhoades jumps into crowded Nebraska 2nd District field
Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades is running to be the Democratic nominee in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District.(Courtesy of Crystal Rhoades for Congress) OMAHA — Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades is done exploring a bid. She is running to be the Democratic nominee for the Nebraska 2nd Congressional District. She describes herself as a 'unique candidate' who can meet the moment for Democrats who want to win. 'I am tired of the chaos in Washington,' Rhoades told the Nebraska Examiner in recent days. 'I am tired of people who don't know what it's like to punch a time clock and live paycheck to paycheck.' The lifelong Omahan has a history of helping local Democrats win elections as a political consultant, including a significant role in helping John Ewing Jr. become the first Democrat to lead the largest city in Nebraska in roughly a decade. Last month, she shared internal polling indicating that she and State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha are within the margin of error for Democratic primary voters in NE-02. The polling has former political action committee co-founder and business owner Denise Powell at what Rhoades called a 'distant third,' a characterization Powell's campaign describes as wrong. Recent FEC filings have shown Powell out-fundraising Cavanaugh. Powell has connections to some of local Democrats' top donors. While Rhoades has faced criticism from her own and opposing parties, she remains the last Democrat elected to a statewide post as a member of the Nebraska Public Service Commission, the state's catch-all regulator for topics ranging from emergency telecommunications to pipelines. 'I've got 20 years of a proven track record of delivering results for the people of this district, Rhoades said. 'I have a track record of flipping seats from red to blue up and down the ballot. Nobody else in the race has all of those qualifications and criteria.' Critics of Rhoades' service at the courthouse and in politics, including some Democrats in Douglas and Sarpy Counties, have said she too often butts heads with coworkers and potential allies. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rhoades pointed to her record of 'doing the right thing even when it's hard' as a plus for voters. Her team's polling indicates that potential Democratic primary voters in the district want someone who would fight President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, someone with a proven record and someone who can win. Last week, Retired Navy veteran Kishla Askins joined the Democratic primary. Earlier this year, State Sen. John Cavanaugh, the son of a former Democratic congressman from Omaha, formally announced his candidacy. Denise Powell, the co-founder of a political action committee and a business owner, announced her bid in May. Mark Johnston and Evangelos Argyrakis also have confirmed that they are running. Rhoades gives the race a second longtime elected official, along with Cavanaugh, plus at least one well-funded newcomer, in Powell, and possibly two, with Askins. Rhoades has been in Nebraska politics for more than a decade. Rhoades said she plans to use her working-class background to separate herself from the candidates. She has said she would focus on kitchen-table issues. 'Democrats have seen an erosion of support from that particular demographic, because our policies and our positions haven't aligned with the needs of the working-class voters.' Nationwide, Democrats have been seeking answers as President Donald Trump made gains among working-class voters, including minority voters last year. Some economists and political scientists have argued that the flaws of free trade contributed to the rise of Trump and his political movement. Trump capitalized on working-class anxieties over some jobs being sent overseas and some people feeling left behind. Rhoades said she would focus on policy changes that protect and grow the middle class, creating jobs that pay a living wage, and protecting democracy. Specifically, she wants to address lingering inflation and push back against Trump's tariffs and approach to immigration. Another reason Rhoades said she is running is that she is concerned about Cavanaugh potentially vacating a statehouse seat at a time when one or two votes in the Legislature could let the Republican majority further erode abortion rights and pass more of the controversial legislation a handful of moderates, Democrats and progressives stop, because Republican Gov. Jim Pillen would get to appoint Cavanaugh's replacement if he wins. 'I want to make sure that we aren't sacrificing some of the things that the Democrats have been able to hold off in the Legislature,' Rhoades said. Supporters of other Democratic candidates have criticized Rhoades for leaving the Nebraska Public Service Commission for the local clerk's job and letting herself be replaced by a Republican appointee. Rhoades has said the stakes are not the same, that her regulatory role at the PSC wouldn't make possible a potential shift to winner-take-all or a stricter abortion ban. The 2nd District, which includes all of urban Douglas and rural Saunders Counties and a slice of suburban western Sarpy County, is typically a target of both national parties, as one of the rare remaining districts that is politically split. The district retains a slight GOP lean. With five-term U.S. Rep. Don Bacon retiring, the open-seat race is drawing a politically diverse and competitive field. The nonpartisan Center for Politics, the home of Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball, shifted the Omaha-based House race to lean democratic from toss-up. The Cook Political Report also shifted the race to lean Democrat. Omaha City Council Vice President Brinker Harding and former State Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha have announced bids to be the Republican nominee. National and local political observers expect it to prove one of the more competitive races in Congress for the 2026 midterms. 'There's too much at risk here for [Democrats] to be taking chances on this seat,' Rhoades said. 'We've got some really big problems in this country, and it calls for very serious people.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hakeem Jeffries meets with Zohran Mamdani, but no endorsement yet for NYC mayor
NEW YORK − Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, is still working to get endorsements from his party's leaders weeks after he upended Big Apple politics. On July 18, the 33-year-old state assemblyman and democratic socialist met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Brooklyn Democrat, Mamdani's campaign announced. They spoke for an hour in East New York, in Jeffries' congressional district. Both gave lukewarm nods about the meeting as Jeffries, the top House Democrat, has yet to endorse a candidate for mayor following Mamdani's upset victory in the June Democratic primary. Staffers described their conversation as 'candid' and 'constructive,' focused on addressing affordability in the notoriously expensive city, which was Mamdani's central pitch to voters. 'Their hour-long conversation was candid and constructive, focused on the cost of living crisis facing New Yorkers and the importance of Democrats taking back the House in 2026,' Jeffrey Lerner, a spokesperson for Mamdani's campaign, said in a statement. 'As a next step, both agreed to reconvene soon with additional members of the New York City delegation, along with key community leaders.' Mamdani's upset in the June 24 primary against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent shockwaves among New York's Democratic establishment. Like Jeffries, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is from Brooklyn, haven't endorsed Mamdani. 'Leader Jeffries and Assemblyman Mamdani discussed a variety of other important issues, including public safety, rising antisemitism, gentrification and the importance of taking back the House in 2026,' Justin Chermol, a spokesperson for Jeffries, said in a statement. Mamdani's July 18 meeting with Jeffries — at an undisclosed office space — came two days after Mamdani went to Washington, D.C. In the capital, Mamdani was joined by fellow democratic socialists Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, who are both icons of the Democrats' left wing and endorsed Mamdani in the primary. Looking toward the November general election, Cuomo has opted to run as an independent, jockeying for a centrist lane against embattled Mayor Eric Adams, as they try to defeat Mamdani. All will face the Republican nominee for mayor, Curtis Sliwa, who has vowed not to drop out. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NYC mayor: Jeffries meets with Mamdani, but no endorsement yet Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
The Zohran Mamdani conundrum for moderate Democrats: ‘It's hard to distance yourself from cool'
Zohran Mamdani, the surprise Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, arrived in Washington this week to meet with national Democrats. It's part of the political neophyte's outreach to Democratic voters after he pulled off a surprise victory against disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo to win the nominee for mayor. But Mamdani, an avowed socialist, did so largely without the backing of the Democratic establishment, so he needed this week to make his case with party elites. On Friday, the trip will culminate in a meeting with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who has yet to endorse Mamdani despite the fact that the upstart state assemblyman won Jeffries' district outright before ranked-choice voting kicked in. It reveals a conundrum for the Democratic establishment and party moderates: Mamdani is popular among young people, but supporting him also risks the party being painted as too radical, something Donald Trump and congressional Republicans used to batter Democrats in the 2024 race. Part of Mamdani's job will be building a rapport with Jeffries, who is notoriously skeptical of progressives and the socialist wing of the Democratic Party, which has a large presence in New York and his home of Brooklyn, thanks to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, better known as AOC. 'The mayor needs the New York congressional delegation, and the New York congressional delegation needs the mayor,' Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), a moderate pro-Israel Democrat, told The Independent. 'It's a mutually necessary relationship, and so it's in the interest of both sides to cooperate and co exist for the good of the city and the country.' During the New York mayoral primary, Torres endorsed Cuomo, the former governor riddled by scandal after the attorney general of the state put out a report detailing his alleged sexual misconduct. Cuomo resigned his office amid the AG's probe. Now, Cuomo has said he will run as a third-party candidate against Mamdani, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who was beset by a federal indictment that the Trump Justice Department subsequently dropped. 'Republicans are going to attempt to weaponize the caricature of Mamdani as a bogeyman now, there's no question,' Torres told The Independent. 'And it could have implications in places like Long Island.' 'Mamdani is undeniably cool, and it's always harder to distance yourself from cool,' Liam Kerr, co-founder of the centrist Welcome PAC, told The Independent. 'The best way for centrist to distance themselves from Mamdani is to organize themselves.' While Mamdani's campaign has excited young people, he does have his critics, particularly his calls for free buses, freezing rent and free child care. In addition, some moderates and pro-Israel Democrats criticized him for not denouncing the phrase ' globalize the intifada ' in an interview with The Bulwark. Already, some Republicans have called for Mamdani to be denaturalized and deported. While Mamdani had the support of some members of the New York delegation such as AOC and Rep. Nydia Velázquez, other Democratic members such as Rep. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen have criticized him. Kerr said that centrist Democrats need to create a contrast between themselves and progressives like Mamdani. 'I think a lot of swing district Democrats, the answer is similar to how they talk about Trump,' he said. 'He identifies the problem, but his solutions are wrong. Good on TV. We're not a reality show.' According to the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, Democrats hold 13 seats in districts that voted for Trump. Republicans only hold three seats in districts that voted for Kamala Harris. If they want to win back the House of Represenatives, they need to win more races in seats that Trump won. While Harris spent much of her final weeks in the election season campaigning with Liz Cheney and touting the support from moderate Republicans, the Trump campaign spent much of the time once Harris became the Democratic nominee portraying her as a radical. Most notably, it attacked her for being too friendly toward transgender people saying ' Kamala is for They/Them. President Trump is for you.' It seemed to have an efffect. In 2024, Third Way, the centrist Democratic organization, conducted a survey released shortly after the election showing that Harris was seen as 3.18 points to the left of how voters saw themselves while Trump was only seen as 2.15 points to the right of how they saw themselves. At the same time, Mamdani excited many younger voters and many Democrats who skipped the 2024 election have said they want the party to move leftward, according to a poll from Democratic pollster Celinda Lake. But some Democrats are already threading the needle between adopting Mamdani's message about affordability while distancing themselves from his policy. The next big test for Democrats will be in New Jersey later this year when Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a centrist, challenges Republican Jack Ciattarelli for the governorship. Sherrill repeated some of Mamdani's points about lowering costs while distancing herself from him. 'It's a very different place,' she told The Independent. 'The people in New Jersey are focused on affordability. They're worried about how Trump's attacking the economy of New Jersey, and then they're worried about driving improviser housing, healthcare and utilities, and that's what we've been focused on, and I think that's what people care about.' Still, progressives were excited about one of their own becoming the mayor of a major metropolitan. On Wednesday, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) talked about seeing Mamdani. Ocasio-Cortez for her part has served as his liaison in Washington. She had a simple message for Democrats nervous about him. 'Get to know him,' she told The Independent.
Washington Post
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Mamdani comes to D.C. to win over congressional Democrats
Politics Mamdani comes to D.C. to win over congressional Democrats July 16, 2025 | 11:39 PM GMT Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, made his case to congressional Democrats at a fireside chat hosted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) on July 16.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic nominee for NYC mayor visits Washington
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, traveled to the nation's capital this week, meeting with congressional Democrats as his campaign gains national attention and criticism. Following his victory in the city's Democratic primary, Mamdani met privately with lawmakers during a closed-door breakfast hosted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). 'I think that we are continuing to grow our coalition,' Mamdani said. Several Democrats praised Mamdani for his authenticity and strategy, including Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.). 'It's just beautiful to have someone who is so authentic,' Velázquez said. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) added, 'I think he's a very personable, smart young man.' Rep. Luz Rivas (D-Calif.) said Mamdani offered insight into his campaign's communication strategy. 'We were just learning skills from him. Communication skills,' Rivas said. Despite the praise, Mamdani has faced criticism from Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who took aim at his democratic socialist identity. 'In New York, we have a communist running. He may get elected too, actually, but he's going to kill, destroy the city,' Trump said. But Mamdani is receiving backing from prominent progressives, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). 'He's going to be a great mayor of New York City,' Sanders said. 'I think the issues that he's campaigning on, and the need to create a city that is affordable for working-class people, is exactly what has to happen in New York.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
