Former Democratic New York Rep. Mondaire Jones slammed some progressives in his party, calling them “trust fund socialists,” in an interview with Politico published Monday.
“I just have experienced a lot of things the way I was raised, unlike the trust-fund socialists in Williamsburg and other places who are suggesting I’m not progressive enough,” Jones says. He told Politico.
Jones previously represented New York’s 17th Congressional District, but redistricting led to former Democratic House Campaign Committee Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney running in that district.
The decision, announced by Maloney on Twitter just 25 minutes after the new district boundaries were drawn, divided the party’s progressive wing and mainstream Democrats, and led to Jones abandoning the Hudson Valley district and running instead in New York’s 10th Congressional District, where he lost the Democratic primary.
Although the process of drawing these maps without Congress goes against the will of the voters, once the newly released maps are finalized, I will run for office in New York State’s 17th Congressional District. NY-17 includes my hometown and many of the Hudson Valley communities I currently represent.
— Sean Patrick Maloney (@spmaloney) May 16, 2022
Before Jones ran in the 10th District, he tried to challenge fellow progressive Rep. Jamaal Bowman in the neighboring 16th District, but internal polls projected him to be defeated badly, a former Jones staffer said. according to To City & State New York. (Related story: Democratic leadership unites to help top members unseat young, black, left-leaning congressmen)
Now, Jones is running again in the 17th District to challenge Republican incumbent Mike Lawler, who defeated Maloney in 2022.
Jones has also endorsed Bowman’s primary opponent, pro-Israel Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
I am proud to support George Latimer in the New York 16th Congressional District Primary and have no regrets about standing up for what I believe in. If standing up for my Jewish neighbors means isolating me from extremists inside and outside the Democratic Party, so be it. pic.twitter.com/NaXjwLmYzK
— Mondaire Jones (@MondaireJones) June 7, 2024
The decision to support Latimer over Bowman, who is critical of Israel, led Jones’ fellow progressives to question his left-wing credentials.
Jones’s report card is full of left-wing identity politics accolades: He’s black, gay, worked in Barack Obama’s Justice Department, expressed support He favored progressive policies like ending mass incarceration, legalizing marijuana, and reducing the police budget (but then easily His ostensibly progressive politics have won him support from some of the Democratic Party’s most prominent left-wing figures, including Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
.Bernie Sanders He called me earlier today. I thanked him for everything and told him that while many young people are hurt by his election results, they are putting their energy into elections like mine and building a class of progressive leaders. We can still envision a brighter future.
— Mondaire Jones (@MondaireJones) June 19, 2020
But Jones’ decision to ignore Bowman has angered some on the left, including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the most prominent figure in the House’s progressive wing.
AOC on Tuesday reposted an article breaking the news that Jones had endorsed Latimer and voiced her support for Bowman.
“Jamaal Bowman has the support of the entire Democratic Party, from House leadership and the Caucus of Black Progressives to the labor party and grassroots, because he is a proven, effective and beloved leader,” Ocasio-Cortez said. I have written“The Democratic Party must unite in supporting Bowman. That’s how we win the election in November.”
Missouri Democratic Rep. Cori Bush, a member of the same brigade, called Jones’s endorsement of Latimer “nasty.” interview With semaphore.
“Is that the kind of person he wants to be? Does he want to be the kind of person that your party members can’t even trust? The kind of person that your party members know will be your friend one day, but as soon as it becomes advantageous for him, he not only turns his back on you, but supports people who disagree with you?” Bush concluded.
Following its endorsement of Latimer, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC also reportedly withdrew its previous support for Jones.
What’s new: After endorsing Bowman’s opponent, Mondaire Jones said the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC notified him last night that it was withdrawing its endorsement.
“I have no regrets about standing up for what I firmly believe in. Senator Bowman and I have very different views on Israel.” pic.twitter.com/WYUxKrTrFl
—Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) June 6, 2024
The Daily Caller reached out to Jones’ campaign for comment but had not heard back at press time.
