Chuck Schumer rejects another African American candidate in Democratic Senate primary.

What’s happening:

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) has once again⁤ made a mockery of his party’s so-called commitment to racial diversity by supporting a ‍white candidate over a black‌ rival ⁤in a Democratic primary.

The Candidates:

• The Democratic ⁢Senatorial Campaign ‌Committee (DSCC), which Schumer oversees, and other Democratic-aligned ⁤groups are lining up behind Gloria Johnson, the state representative who ‍recently announced her candidacy for U.S.⁣ Senate in Tennessee. Johnson, who is white, recently used the DSCC email list to raise money for her ‍campaign.
• Marquita Bradshaw, a black⁣ climate activist, is also running. She has a track record of overcoming the Democratic Party’s toxic white supremacy. In 2020, Bradshaw won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in ⁣Tennessee by defeating James Mackler, a white man backed by Schumer and the party establishment.

Controversial ⁤Actions:

• Johnson was nearly expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives earlier this year for participating in an insurrection attempt at the state capitol building.

Why it’s racist:

Schumer’s clear preference ​ for white candidates in Democratic primaries suggests a deeply troubling animosity toward black people and a‌ total lack of confidence in the ability of black candidates to win statewide elections.

White power party:

The Tennessee primary is the third U.S. Senate contest of the 2024 election ⁢in which Schumer ‍and the Democratic Party‌ are supporting white candidates at the expense of their black challengers.

Other Examples:

• The Democratic establishment is backing two white candidates—Reps. Katie Porter ‍and Adam Schiff—in the 2024 U.S. Senate primary in California. Rep. Barbara Lee, a black woman who is also running, has‌ complained about her party’s racist approach to the contest.
• Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D., Mich.), a white⁢ woman with ties to the CIA, is the “consensus candidate” among national Democrats in the ⁤race for U.S. Senate ⁢in Michigan, despite the fact that two black women, a black man (actor Hill Harper), and an Arab-American businessman are also seeking the nomination.

Legacy of shame:

Schumer and the Democratic Party did the same thing in 2020, spending more than $50 million in support of white candidates running against black challengers in key ​U.S. Senate primaries.

Statements:

• “Sen.‌ Schumer, for whatever reason, did not want an African‌ American running for Senate in North Carolina,” said Erica Smith, a black⁤ woman who lost ⁢the Democratic primary⁤ to‌ establishment choice ⁢Cal Cunningham, a white man.
• In Texas, national Democrats backed M.J. Hegar⁤ in the primary over Royce West, a black state senator who accused party leaders of “trying to lock African Americans out of the ‌process.”

Crucial context:

The Democratic Party is best ​known for supporting slavery and racial segregation.