Latest news with #Rakov
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Young Democratic primary challengers seek to oust longtime House members -- but they say it's not about age
As the Democratic Party takes stock of the first 100 days of the Trump administration and the upcoming 2026 midterm elections -- where the party aims to take back control of the U.S. House of Representatives – a slate of political newcomers are challenging longtime incumbents and calling for generational change within the party. The challenges come amid a broader debate among Democrats over how to respond to the Trump administration and reach voters after its bruising losses in 2024, and if the party needs younger leaders to revitalize it or whether Democrats should avoid the risk of infighting. The debate was supercharged in recent weeks when Leaders We Deserve, a political organization led by Democratic National Committee Vice Chairman David Hogg, the Parkland school shooting survivor and gun-control activistannounced that it will spend $20 million to help elect younger leaders -- including primary challengers to House Democrats who are in safe Democratic seats. The group has not yet announced who it is supporting. MORE: David Hogg-run group announces $20M initiative to support primary challengers to House Democrats MORE: Democratic Party 'doubling down' on town hall meetings targeting Republican-held districts "Given the loss that we had last cycle, a lot of people have expressed their frustration with our leadership," Tamia Booker, a veteran Democratic strategist, told ABC News. "I think what we're seeing now is the ramification of that, where people are deciding to run themselves because they believe that they're more effective leaders." Jake Rakov, 37, is a primary challenger taking on his former boss -- Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrat who represents California's 32nd District. "I'm running because we do need a new generation of Democrats to step up if we want anything to change in Washington; we cannot keep sending the same both decade after decade, and expecting things to change," Rakov told ABC News in an interview. Rakov worked for Sherman as a deputy communications director in 2017 and since then worked in Los Angeles politics and some campaigns. But he slammed Sherman as ineffective, adding, "He likes to brag about seniority. He has been passed over for leadership positions on his committees ... Seniority doesn't matter if no one is willing to work with you." Sherman, in an interview with ABC News, pointed to his position as a ranking member on the House Financial Subcommittee on Capital Markets, and that other experienced members also often get passed over for leadership positions. But Rakov is not attacking Sherman on policy. Instead, he said, "I think there is enough of that want of generational change," adding that it is not about age but about people wanting their members of Congress "to be accessible and accountable and to actually meet voters where they are emotionally." Sherman, speaking to ABC News, dismissed Rakov -- who he indicated had not worked with him directly -- as one of an expected number of challengers. "I always have lots of opponents and I usually win by a huge margin," Sherman said. More generally, Sherman sounded a skeptical note on the efforts to primary incumbents more generally. "I see these efforts to turn the Democratic Party into a circular firing squad … It's very difficult to see how their efforts will help us win the 2026 elections. What it means is that we waste a lot of money in the primaries," he said. In Indiana's 7th Congressional District, which includes much of Indianapolis, George Hornedo, a 34-year-old alum of the Obama administration and Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign, is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. André Carson. Hornedo alleges that Carson, 50, who was first elected to the House in 2008, has not delivered for the district. "I'm running because my community here in Indianapolis is still waiting for everything from safer streets to affordable housing to, really, just real leadership," Hornedo told ABC News. "After nearly 20 years in Congress, it's clear that Congressman Carson is just holding the seat but not actually doing anything with it." But Hornedo does not think the divide is simply about age or time in office. The split, he said, is between members "like Congressman Carson" who think the current institutions in place are working for people, "versus those like myself that acknowledge that, of course, we have to try and protect what we currently have, but we also have to acknowledge that President Trump and Elon Musk are actively dismantling government day in and day out." Carson told ABC News he welcomes new voices but thinks that Democrats need to work together under a common goal -- and he pushed back against Hornedo's claims. Carson pointed to the bills he's worked on that have been signed into law, as well as his work across the aisle with Republicans and the federal funding he has delivered to Indianapolis as testament to his effectiveness. But Carson also believes his own background makes him a nontraditional member of Congress already: "I think I'm one of the few members of Congress that have ever lived in a homeless shelter … along with my grandmother, I was raised by the community. I was raised by the village, and so I'm always sensitive to the needs of the downtrodden and the less fortunate." In nearby Illinois, Kat Abughazaleh, 26, a former reporter and researcher with a large social media following, announced in March that she would run for Congress in Illinois' 9th Congressional District -- currently represented by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, 80, who has not yet announced if she will run for reelection. Abughazaleh has had some early success on the fundraising front, raising more than $375,000 in the first week of her campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings. She outraised what Schakowsky fundraised in the entire first quarter. Abughazaleh is quick to emphasize that her run is not a "vendetta" against the incumbent -- but she says the Democratic Party is discouraging primaries and critiques in general. "It's time for new ideas. If what we were doing was working, then we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place," Abughazaleh told ABC News. Abughazaleh pointed to her own life experiences that dovetail with what younger generations are experiencing -- as someone from a generation dealing with school shooting drills, out-of-pocket medical costs, and spending most of her income on rent -- as differentiating herself from longtime members. In a statement to ABC News, Schakowsky said she will decide on her own plans "soon, but if I do indeed decide to retire, there are dozens of talented leaders, advocates, and organizers in the 9th Congressional District who know our community and who are ready to lead the charge as we fight back against the extreme MAGA regime and Trump's shameful policies." She also said she has "always encouraged more participation in the democratic process." On Wednesday, she posted on X that she still had not yet made a decision about running. In Georgia, Everton Blair, 32, grew up in the Peach State's 13th Congressional District, which spans the eastern metro Atlanta area. He made history as the youngest, first Black, and first openly gay person elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Education, where he went on to serve as chair. Blair is now setting his sights on his next role in public office. "I'm running because District 13, my home turf, deserves better leadership. And I think we learned a very important lesson in November and we need to respond immediately to the chaos of this administration with stronger, more competent and forceful leadership," Blair told ABC News in an interview. Incumbent Rep. David Scott has held the seat for 22 years, following a career in the Georgia General Assembly. Blair argues that Georgia's 13th Congressional District needs a leader who is "agile and present" -- qualities he no longer sees in Scott. "When somebody's served in elected office for over 50 years, there comes a time where you have to ask when you're actually ready to prepare the next generation of leadership." Spokespeople for Scott did not respond to a request for comment. Across the country on the West Coast, Saikat Chakrabarti, 39, is mounting a primary campaign against one of the Democratic Party's most prominent figures -- Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who has represented California's 11th District for around 38 years. A former Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur and founding engineer of the online payment platform Stripe, Chakrabarti got his start in politics working on Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. MORE: Florida, Wisconsin races are a possible glimpse into how Dems and GOP could approach midterms: ANALYSIS MORE: Schumer spending bill fallout a symptom of disjointed Democratic strategy: ANALYSIS Asked why he believes he can unseat a party heavyweight, Chakrabarti told ABC News he's done it before. He served as campaign manager for Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez during her 2018 upset victory over Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley. Chakrabarti sees echoes of 2018 in 2025: a post-Trump election environment marked by frustration among Democrats over their party's defeat. "That moment of change, in my opinion, is dwarfed by the moment of change you see right now. The level of anger at the Democratic Party for failing is huge," Chakrabarti said. Chakrabarti added that those who want to stand up to Trump should also have the courage to stand up to members of their own party, including Pelosi, 85. "The one thing we know is if we go into 2028 with the party being what it is right now, we're in trouble," Chakrabarti said. Pelosi's office declined a request for comment. Booker, the strategist, told ABC News that the younger candidates generally will have the challenge of building up name recognition among voters -- who may already have strong connections to the incumbents. "As humans, we are very connected to who our person is. A lot of these members that have been in these seats a long time also have deep relationships, and they also have a lot of money, and those deep relationships also extend to the donors," she said. "So while I'm all about supporting young people to run, they have to be thoughtful … so they can actually have a well-oiled campaign, because otherwise they're going to be, yes, a challenger, but they're not going to be able to be successful in these runs for office." Young Democratic primary challengers seek to oust longtime House members -- but they say it's not about age originally appeared on
25-04-2025
- Politics
Young Democratic primary challengers seek to oust longtime House members -- but they say it's not about age
As the Democratic Party takes stock of the first 100 days of the Trump administration and the upcoming 2026 midterm elections -- where the party aims to take back control of the U.S. House of Representatives – a slate of political newcomers are challenging longtime incumbents and calling for generational change within the party. The challenges come amid a broader debate among Democrats over how to respond to the Trump administration and reach voters after its bruising losses in 2024, and if the party needs younger leaders to revitalize it or whether Democrats should avoid the risk of infighting. The debate was supercharged in recent weeks when Leaders We Deserve, a political organization led by Democratic National Committee Vice Chairman David Hogg, the Parkland school shooting survivor and gun-control activist announced that it will spend $20 million to help elect younger leaders -- including primary challengers to House Democrats who are in safe Democratic seats. The group has not yet announced who it is supporting. "Given the loss that we had last cycle, a lot of people have expressed their frustration with our leadership," Tamia Booker, a veteran Democratic strategist, told ABC News. "I think what we're seeing now is the ramification of that, where people are deciding to run themselves because they believe that they're more effective leaders." Jake Rakov, 37, is a primary challenger taking on his former boss -- Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrat who represents California's 32nd District. "I'm running because we do need a new generation of Democrats to step up if we want anything to change in Washington; we cannot keep sending the same both decade after decade, and expecting things to change," Rakov told ABC News in an interview. Rakov worked for Sherman as a deputy communications director in 2017 and since then worked in Los Angeles politics and some campaigns. But he slammed Sherman as ineffective, adding, "He likes to brag about seniority. He has been passed over for leadership positions on his committees ... Seniority doesn't matter if no one is willing to work with you." Sherman, in an interview with ABC News, pointed to his position as a ranking member on the House Financial Subcommittee on Capital Markets, and that other experienced members also often get passed over for leadership positions. But Rakov is not attacking Sherman on policy. Instead, he said, "I think there is enough of that want of generational change," adding that it is not about age but about people wanting their members of Congress "to be accessible and accountable and to actually meet voters where they are emotionally." Sherman, speaking to ABC News, dismissed Rakov -- who he indicated had not worked with him directly -- as one of an expected number of challengers. "I always have lots of opponents and I usually win by a huge margin," Sherman said. More generally, Sherman sounded a skeptical note on the efforts to primary incumbents more generally. "I see these efforts to turn the Democratic Party into a circular firing squad … It's very difficult to see how their efforts will help us win the 2026 elections. What it means is that we waste a lot of money in the primaries," he said. In Indiana's 7th Congressional District, which includes much of Indianapolis, George Hornedo, a 34-year-old alum of the Obama administration and Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign, is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. André Carson. Hornedo alleges that Carson, 50, who was first elected to the House in 2008, has not delivered for the district. "I'm running because my community here in Indianapolis is still waiting for everything from safer streets to affordable housing to, really, just real leadership," Hornedo told ABC News. "After nearly 20 years in Congress, it's clear that Congressman Carson is just holding the seat but not actually doing anything with it." But Hornedo does not think the divide is simply about age or time in office. The split, he said, is between members "like Congressman Carson" who think the current institutions in place are working for people, "versus those like myself that acknowledge that, of course, we have to try and protect what we currently have, but we also have to acknowledge that President Trump and Elon Musk are actively dismantling government day in and day out." Carson told ABC News he welcomes new voices but thinks that Democrats need to work together under a common goal -- and he pushed back against Hornedo's claims. Carson pointed to the bills he's worked on that have been signed into law, as well as his work across the aisle with Republicans and the federal funding he has delivered to Indianapolis as testament to his effectiveness. But Carson also believes his own background makes him a nontraditional member of Congress already: "I think I'm one of the few members of Congress that have ever lived in a homeless shelter … along with my grandmother, I was raised by the community. I was raised by the village, and so I'm always sensitive to the needs of the downtrodden and the less fortunate." In nearby Illinois, Kat Abughazaleh, 26, a former reporter and researcher with a large social media following, announced in March that she would run for Congress in Illinois' 9th Congressional District -- currently represented by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, 80, who has not yet announced if she will run for reelection. Abughazaleh has had some early success on the fundraising front, raising more than $375,000 in the first week of her campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings. She outraised what Schakowsky fundraised in the entire first quarter. Abughazaleh is quick to emphasize that her run is not a "vendetta" against the incumbent -- but she says the Democratic Party is discouraging primaries and critiques in general. "It's time for new ideas. If what we were doing was working, then we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place," Abughazaleh told ABC News. Abughazaleh pointed to her own life experiences that dovetail with what younger generations are experiencing -- as someone from a generation dealing with school shooting drills, out-of-pocket medical costs, and spending most of her income on rent -- as differentiating herself from longtime members. In a statement to ABC News, Schakowsky said she will decide on her own plans "soon, but if I do indeed decide to retire, there are dozens of talented leaders, advocates, and organizers in the 9th Congressional District who know our community and who are ready to lead the charge as we fight back against the extreme MAGA regime and Trump's shameful policies." She also said she has "always encouraged more participation in the democratic process." On Wednesday, she posted on X that she still had not yet made a decision about running. In Georgia, Everton Blair, 32, grew up in the Peach State's 13th Congressional District, which spans the eastern metro Atlanta area. He made history as the youngest, first Black, and first openly gay person elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Education, where he went on to serve as chair. Blair is now setting his sights on his next role in public office. "I'm running because District 13, my home turf, deserves better leadership. And I think we learned a very important lesson in November and we need to respond immediately to the chaos of this administration with stronger, more competent and forceful leadership," Blair told ABC News in an interview. Incumbent Rep. David Scott has held the seat for 22 years, following a career in the Georgia General Assembly. Blair argues that Georgia's 13th Congressional District needs a leader who is "agile and present" -- qualities he no longer sees in Scott. "When somebody's served in elected office for over 50 years, there comes a time where you have to ask when you're actually ready to prepare the next generation of leadership." Spokespeople for Scott did not respond to a request for comment. Across the country on the West Coast, Saikat Chakrabarti, 39, is mounting a primary campaign against one of the Democratic Party's most prominent figures -- Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who has represented California's 11th District for around 38 years. A former Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur and founding engineer of the online payment platform Stripe, Chakrabarti got his start in politics working on Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Asked why he believes he can unseat a party heavyweight, Chakrabarti told ABC News he's done it before. He served as campaign manager for Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez during her 2018 upset victory over Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley. Chakrabarti sees echoes of 2018 in 2025: a post-Trump election environment marked by frustration among Democrats over their party's defeat. "That moment of change, in my opinion, is dwarfed by the moment of change you see right now. The level of anger at the Democratic Party for failing is huge," Chakrabarti said. Chakrabarti added that those who want to stand up to Trump should also have the courage to stand up to members of their own party, including Pelosi, 85. "The one thing we know is if we go into 2028 with the party being what it is right now, we're in trouble," Chakrabarti said. Pelosi's office declined a request for comment. Booker, the strategist, told ABC News that the younger candidates generally will have the challenge of building up name recognition among voters -- who may already have strong connections to the incumbents. "As humans, we are very connected to who our person is. A lot of these members that have been in these seats a long time also have deep relationships, and they also have a lot of money, and those deep relationships also extend to the donors," she said. "So while I'm all about supporting young people to run, they have to be thoughtful … so they can actually have a well-oiled campaign, because otherwise they're going to be, yes, a challenger, but they're not going to be able to be successful in these runs for office."
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats see growing number of young progressive challengers
A growing number of Democratic incumbents are facing primary challenges from younger progressives, underscoring generational and ideological rifts within the party. At least three long-serving members of the House — including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — have already drawn younger primary opponents, with more potentially on the way. The developments come amid growing speculation that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) could challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). The primary challenges shine a fresh light on Democrats' frustration with their leaders following the party's losses last year, and they point to a potentially volatile campaign season leading up to the midterms. 'It's what you're seeing kind of across the country,' Jake Rakov, a former Capitol Hill staffer who recently launched a primary bid against his former boss Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), said in reference to the campaign against Pelosi. 'In terms of the new administration, the elected representatives have not matched where the voters are.' Pelosi, who has represented California in the House for nearly four decades, faces a challenge from tech millionaire Saikat Chakrabarti, a veteran of Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I-Vt.) 2016 campaign and a former chief of staff to Ocasio-Cortez. 'I respect what Nancy Pelosi has accomplished in her career, but we are living in a totally different America than the one she knew when she entered politics 45 years ago,' Chakrabarti, 39, said in his launch for the 11th Congressional District. Pelosi, 85, reportedly filed paperwork to run for her 21st term in 2026, though she's yet to formally announce her plans. She won reelection in the deep-blue district by more than 60 points against a Republican challenger last year, after stepping down from House leadership at the start of the cycle. Pelosi notably led the effort to block Ocasio-Cortez to lead Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee last year. 'It's kind of crazy that, basically, if you're 50 years old or under, or maybe even a little over, you're considered young in the Democratic Party,' said Zack Exley, a former Sanders adviser and campaign manager for Chakrabarti. 'The Democrats are still operating almost in this 19th-century mode of political seniority, and it's just really not working for them.' In California's 32nd Congressional District, the 37-year-old Rakov says his campaign against Sherman will show a 'generational, operational difference' from that of his former boss. Rakov worked as a deputy press secretary for Sherman's office back in 2017, before serving on Tom Steyer's long-shot presidential campaign in 2020. Sherman, who at 70 is seeking his 16th term in the House, told The Hill in a phone interview that he didn't recall much about Rakov's short tenure working under the office's communications director, and hadn't encountered him in political circles in the district. 'Doesn't everybody say that, who's challenging an incumbent? Or who didn't say it 10 years ago or 20 years ago?' Sherman said of the messaging around a new generation. 'I'm not a stranger to … 'Sherman challenged by young progressive,'' the congressman said, stressing that Rakov has conceded that the two of them are similarly progressive. Sherman, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), faces at least one additional challenger in Christopher Ahuja, another comparatively younger progressive who lost out in last cycle's all-party primary for the seat. Sherman won the general election by more than 30 points. 'Yes, I've got some seniority. I know what I'm doing,' Sherman said. Over in Illinois, a social media influencer with more than 230,000 TikTok followers is vying to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D) in the Prairie State's 9th Congressional District, contending that 'the same old s— isn't working.' 'Half of Congress are millionaires and people born before the Moon landing. And that's part of the reason we're in this mess: Our leaders are out of touch,' Kat Abughazaleh said in a statement on her campaign site. The 26-year-old is a former video producer at Media Matters for America, a progressive nonprofit news outlet sued by tech mogul Elon Musk. Abughazaleh didn't explicitly mention Schakowsky in her campaign launch video or site statement, but made it clear that the district needs generational change. Schakowsky, 80, was elected to the House in 1998, a year before her would-be challenger was born. She serves as a vice chair of the CPC and won a 14th term in her seat by around 37 points against a GOP competitor in November. She has not yet announced a reelection bid. 'I have always encouraged more participation in the democratic process, and I welcome new faces getting involved as we stand up against the Trump Administration,' Schakowsky said in a statement shared with The Hill, adding that 'I'll be deciding on my plans soon.' 'I have made it my mission to mentor and inspire the next generation of leaders and, no matter what, I look forward to continuing that work,' the Illinois lawmaker added. Frustration with a lack of representation of younger perspectives in Congress — where the median age of voting House lawmakers is 57.5 years — is perennial, but progressives have grown increasingly angered with Democrats on Capitol Hill as they fight against a Republican trifecta in Washington. Favorability for the Democratic Party hit record lows in polling from both CNN and NBC News last month. And a coalition of progressive young voter groups blasted Schumer after 10 Senate Democrats helped Republicans advance a government-funding measure last month, threatening that 'if you refuse to fight for our future, we will find leaders who will.' Pelosi, Sherman and Schakowsky all hail from comfortably blue districts, easing anxiety about whether tough primary fights could bruise candidates ahead of the general election and strain Democrats' efforts to grow their numbers in Congress. But in that case, 'Democrats are wiser to spend millions of dollars against Republicans than against each other,' said Steven Maviglio, a longtime Democratic strategist in California, arguing that new progressives should 'do it in places where it's going to make a difference.' 'Particularly when their voting records probably wouldn't differ one iota. Just being younger doesn't make it better,' Maviglio said. Meanwhile, the number of young progressives who jump into the ring could grow. Punchbowl News reported on Friday that Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) could face a primary challenger in George Hornedo, a 34-year-old strategist who said he's exploring a run. Carson has represented Indiana's 7th Congressional District for nine terms, and Hornedo is calling for 'new leadership that listens, fights, and delivers results.' Speculation is also swirling over whether Ocasio-Cortez, who has been touring the country alongside progressive mainstay Sanders, could try to jump from the House to Schumer's seat in the Senate. A survey from the liberal firm Data for Progress, first reported by Politico on Friday, found Ocasio-Cortez the favorite in a hypothetical primary with support from 55 percent of Democratic likely voters, compared to 36 percent for Schumer, who has held the seat since 1999. 'There are definitely Democrats that Gen Z is excited about and that they do trust and are listening to,' said Jessica Siles, senior communications director at Voters of Tomorrow — one of the progressive youth groups that signed on to the letter to Schumer — in an interview last week. 'So it's not that this Democratic leadership needs to be something completely new or entirely new candidates.' Siles pointed to the 35-year-old Ocasio-Cortez, as well as Sanders, one of the oldest senators, and Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), the youngest member of the House. 'I think young people want a mix of like, yeah, let's have younger candidates run, let's have new and diverse candidates gain power, but let's also elevate the trusted leaders that we do have and show up for them as they're showing up for us this moment.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
06-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Democrats see growing number of young progressive challengers
A growing number of Democratic incumbents are facing primary challenges from younger progressives, underscoring generational and ideological rifts within the party. At least three long-serving members of the House — including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — have already drawn younger primary opponents, with more potentially on the way. The developments come amid growing speculation that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) could challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). The primary challenges shine a fresh light on Democrats' frustration with their leaders following the party's losses last year, and they point to a potentially volatile campaign season leading up to the midterms. 'It's what you're seeing kind of across the country,' Jake Rakov, a former Capitol Hill staffer who recently launched a primary bid against his former boss Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), said in reference to the campaign against Pelosi. 'In terms of the new administration, the elected representatives have not matched where the voters are.' Pelosi, who has represented California in the House for nearly four decades, faces a challenge from tech millionaire Saikat Chakrabarti, a veteran of Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I-Vt.) 2016 campaign and a former chief of staff to Ocasio-Cortez. 'I respect what Nancy Pelosi has accomplished in her career, but we are living in a totally different America than the one she knew when she entered politics 45 years ago,' Chakrabarti, 39, said in his launch for the 11th Congressional District. Pelosi, 85, reportedly filed paperwork to run for her 21st term in 2026, though she's yet to formally announce her plans. She won reelection in the deep-blue district by more than 60 points against a Republican challenger last year, after stepping down from House leadership at the start of the cycle. Pelosi notably led the effort to block Ocasio-Cortez to lead Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee last year. 'It's kind of crazy that, basically, if you're 50 years old or under, or maybe even a little over, you're considered young in the Democratic Party,' said Zack Exley, a former Sanders adviser and campaign manager for Chakrabarti. 'The Democrats are still operating almost in this 19th-century mode of political seniority, and it's just really not working for them.' In California's 32nd Congressional District, the 37-year-old Rakov says his campaign against Sherman will show a 'generational, operational difference' from that of his former boss. Rakov worked as a deputy press secretary for Sherman's office back in 2017, before serving on Tom Steyer's long-shot presidential campaign in 2020. Sherman, who at 70 is seeking his 16th term in the House, told The Hill in a phone interview that he didn't recall much about Rakov's short tenure working under the office's communications director, and hadn't encountered him in political circles in the district. 'Doesn't everybody say that, who's challenging an incumbent? Or who didn't say it 10 years ago or 20 years ago?' Sherman said of the messaging around a new generation. 'I'm not a stranger to … 'Sherman challenged by young progressive,'' the congressman said, stressing that Rakov has conceded that the two of them are similarly progressive. Sherman, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), faces at least one additional challenger in Christopher Ahuja, another comparatively younger progressive who lost out in last cycle's all-party primary for the seat. Sherman won the general election by more than 30 points. 'Yes, I've got some seniority. I know what I'm doing,' Sherman said. Over in Illinois, a social media influencer with more than 230,000 TikTok followers is vying to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D) in the Prairie State's 9th Congressional District, contending that 'the same old s— isn't working.' 'Half of Congress are millionaires and people born before the Moon landing. And that's part of the reason we're in this mess: Our leaders are out of touch,' Kat Abughazaleh said in a statement on her campaign site. The 26-year-old is a former video producer at Media Matters for America, a progressive nonprofit news outlet sued by tech mogul Elon Musk. Abughazaleh didn't explicitly mention Schakowsky in her campaign launch video or site statement, but made it clear that the district needs generational change. Schakowsky, 80, was elected to the House in 1998, a year before her would-be challenger was born. She serves as a vice chair of the CPC and won a 14th term in her seat by around 37 points against a GOP competitor in November. She has not yet announced a reelection bid. 'I have always encouraged more participation in the democratic process, and I welcome new faces getting involved as we stand up against the Trump Administration,' Schakowsky said in a statement shared with The Hill, adding that 'I'll be deciding on my plans soon.' 'I have made it my mission to mentor and inspire the next generation of leaders and, no matter what, I look forward to continuing that work,' the Illinois lawmaker added. Frustration with a lack of representation of younger perspectives in Congress — where the median age of voting House lawmakers is 57.5 years — is perennial, but progressives have grown increasingly angered with Democrats on Capitol Hill as they fight against a Republican trifecta in Washington. Favorability for the Democratic Party hit record lows in polling from both CNN and NBC News last month. And a coalition of progressive young voter groups blasted Schumer after 10 Senate Democrats helped Republicans advance a government-funding measure last month, threatening that 'if you refuse to fight for our future, we will find leaders who will.' Pelosi, Sherman and Schakowsky all hail from comfortably blue districts, easing anxiety about whether tough primary fights could bruise candidates ahead of the general election and strain Democrats' efforts to grow their numbers in Congress. But in that case, 'Democrats are wiser to spend millions of dollars against Republicans than against each other,' said Steven Maviglio, a longtime Democratic strategist in California, arguing that new progressives should 'do it in places where it's going to make a difference.' 'Particularly when their voting records probably wouldn't differ one iota. Just being younger doesn't make it better,' Maviglio said. Meanwhile, the number of young progressives who jump into the ring could grow. Punchbowl News reported on Friday that Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) could face a primary challenger in George Hornedo, a 34-year-old strategist who said he's exploring a run. Carson has represented Indiana's 7th Congressional District for nine terms, and Hornedo is calling for 'new leadership that listens, fights, and delivers results.' Speculation is also swirling over whether Ocasio-Cortez, who has been touring the country alongside progressive mainstay Sanders, could try to jump from the House to Schumer's seat in the Senate. A survey from the liberal firm Data for Progress, first reported by Politico on Friday, found Ocasio-Cortez the favorite in a hypothetical primary with support from 55 percent of Democratic likely voters, compared to 36 percent for Schumer, who has held the seat since 1999. 'There are definitely Democrats that Gen Z is excited about and that they do trust and are listening to,' said Jessica Siles, senior communications director at Voters of Tomorrow — one of the progressive youth groups that signed on to the letter to Schumer — in an interview last week. 'So it's not that this Democratic leadership needs to be something completely new or entirely new candidates.' Siles pointed to the 35-year-old Ocasio-Cortez, as well as Sanders, one of the oldest senators, and Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), the youngest member of the House. 'I think young people want a mix of like, yeah, let's have younger candidates run, let's have new and diverse candidates gain power, but let's also elevate the trusted leaders that we do have and show up for them as they're showing up for us this moment.'
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former aide slams California Democrat in video announcing primary campaign
Jake Rakov, a former aide to Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), on Wednesday announced he is launching a primary challenge against his onetime boss. In a video announcing his campaign, Rakov directly criticized Sherman, who is serving his 15th term in the House, as out of touch with his constituents who want him to take a stronger stand against the Trump administration. 'If you want to know why we as Democrats are so bad at fighting back against Trump, look at guys like my former boss,' he said. 'Brad Sherman has been in Washington for nearly 30 years, he sold his home in LA and bought a $2 million house in D.C. that he now calls home, and he doesn't make it back to LA much.' 'Congressman Sherman hasn't held a town hall here in the district in five years. He even bragged about giving speeches to an empty House chamber while his constituents have to fend for themselves after their home is burnt down,' Rakov continued. 'If you love Washington that much, there's no way you'll be a part of changing it.' Rakov said he was running for Congress to advocate for term limits for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. He said he wouldn't accept corporate PAC money and would hold monthly town halls with constituents if elected. Rakov served as Sherman's deputy communications director in 2017. 'These guys lit the rule book on fire. It's gone,' he said in the video over clips of President Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk. 'And too many on our side don't seem to get that.' Rakov is launching his campaign amid a reckoning among Democrats about the best way to fight back against Trump and Republicans while the GOP holds a trifecta — control of the Senate, House and White House — in Washington. It also comes as a wave of younger lawmakers and candidates are making the case for generational change in the party. In posts online, Rakov said it is time for a new generation of Democrats to step up because the party can't keep sending the same politicians to Washington and expect things to change. The candidate said he was 8 years old when Sherman, now 70, was elected in 1996. In an interview with The Hill, Sherman noted that he downsized to a condo within his district and has held various town hall meetings with specific constituent groups and has one slated for mid-April at California State University, Northridge. Sherman also pushed back on Rakov's view that older lawmakers need to step aside. 'He says he's younger than I am. He's right,' the California Democrat said. 'On the other hand, it's good to have seniority in Congress.' 'Seniority is critical in committee assignments. Seniority is critical in getting earmarks. Seniority is critical in going to Republicans that you've worked with for years and trying to get an appropriation,' Sherman later said. 'Knowing how this place works takes a while.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
