(Headline USA) Former Barack Obama campaign manager Jim Messina blasted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., this week for endorsing a progressive candidate to oust incumbent Sen. Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., calling Ocasio-Cortez’s decision “dumb s***.”
Ocasio-Cortez came out in support of New York state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who is primarying Maloney, the current Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair, and is seen as more progressive than Maloney.
Messina criticized Ocasio-Cortez for once again encouraging party infighting, warning that her actions could lead to Democrats losing control of Congress in November.
“This is so counter-productive,” he wrote on Twitter.
“The Supreme Court is about to outlaw abortion. We could lose both houses. So we are going to focus our time running against each other?”
This is so counter-productive. The Supreme Court is about to outlaw abortion. We could lose both houses. So we are going to focus our time running against each other? Now we’re primarying commited progressives because. . .why? If we lose house it’s because of dumb shit like this https://t.co/fErOy85yrI
— Jim Messina (@Messina2012) June 7, 2022
Ocasio-Cortez did not respond to Messina’s tweet, but continued to promote Biaggi on Twitter:
🚨 I’m honored to receive @AOC‘s endorsement today:
“Alessandra was able to break through and deliver a series of progressive wins for New York State — now, she’s ready to take her leadership to Congress.”https://t.co/wEJJNJJ2in
— Alessandra Biaggi (@Biaggi4NY) June 7, 2022
Ocasio-Cortez has previously feuded with Maloney, calling on him to resign earlier this year. But Maloney has dismissed her intervention in his congressional race, arguing that “this election comes down to voters in NY-17.”
“I respect Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and have worked with her on a number of policy matters, including as a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal. But, on her endorsement, we are going to have to agree to disagree,” Maloney said.
“This election comes down to voters in NY-17, and I am honored to have received overwhelming support locally, including endorsements from nearly 40 elected leaders and Democratic Party committees.”
