Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Blasts New York State Democratic Party Leadership As GOP Makes Gains

Charlotte Pence BondNovember 9, 2022

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) criticized New York State Democratic Party leadership on Wednesday after results revealed that New York was moving toward the Republican Party.

The New York congresswoman was reacting to an image from The New York Times, which revealed that New York has moved more Republican in regions across the state since the 2020 presidential election.

NYS Dem party leadership, which was gutted under Cuomo, stuffed with lobbyists, works to boost GOP, and failed to pass a basic state ballot measure to protect NY redistricting, must be accountable.

I called for Jay Jacob’s resignation a year ago and I still hold that position. https://t.co/WM6BJUw4do

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 9, 2022

“NYS Dem party leadership, which was gutted under Cuomo, stuffed with lobbyists, works to boost GOP, and failed to pass a basic state ballot measure to protect NY redistricting, must be accountable,” the congresswoman tweeted. “I called for Jay Jacob’s resignation a year ago and I still hold that position.”

Jay Jacobs currently serves as the Chair of the New York State Democratic Committee.

Ocasio-Cortez also tweeted a link to an article about Jacobs from last year when he and other top Democrats in the state had not endorsed a candidate in the Buffalo mayoral election. Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive Democrats had thrown their support behind India Walton, who was a Democratic Socialist.

Jacobs pointed out that it wouldn’t matter who received endorsements because a Democrat would win the race no matter what because there was no Republican on the ballot. He went on to say that a party doesn’t have to endorse a candidate simply because he or she is successful in a primary. He provided a hypothetical situation of if former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke won a New York Democratic primary.

“Let’s take a scenario, very different, where David Duke, you remember him, the grand wizard of the KKK, he moves to New York, he becomes a Democrat, he runs for mayor in the city of Rochester, which is a low primary turnout and he wins the Democratic line. I have to endorse David Duke? I don’t think so,” Jacobs said. “Now, of course, India Walton is not in the same category, but it just leads you to that question, is it a must? It’s not a must. It’s something you choose to do. That’s why it’s an endorsement. Otherwise, they call it something else, like a requirement.”

Jacobs was criticized for his comparison and politicians even came out saying he should step down.

Jacobs later apologized in a statement, saying, “Using an extreme example of David Duke winning a primary, to make a logical point, even with stating twice the specific qualification that India Walton, was in a different category, was wrong. I should have used a different example, and for that, I apologize.”

On Wednesday, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted about the David Duke scandal, saying, “After leading the party to a catastrophic ballot measure loss that would’ve saved Dem House seats, the party chair (Jacobs) compared a Black woman Dem nominee to the KKK. He was protected. Last night’s underperformance is a consequence of that decision.”

“Last night’s NY underperformance is a testament to years of prioritizing calcified machine politics and favoring over performance, strategy, & organizing. To win from here, Jacobs must go and we must recenter the party to better value community leadership and small-d democracy,” she added.

Last night’s NY underperformance is a testament to years of prioritizing calcified machine politics and favoring over performance, strategy, & organizing.

To win from here, Jacobs must go and we must recenter the party to better value community leadership and small-d democracy.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 9, 2022

Ocasio-Cortez saw a victory in her own race this election cycle as she secured another term as the Democratic congresswoman from New York’s fourteenth district.