Silence from Democratic Candidates After Ocasio-Cortez’s Endorsement

In a highly competitive race, leading Democratic House candidates have been notably quiet following Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D.N.Y.) announcement of her support for Kate Conley. Conley, a former official in the Biden administration, celebrated her primary win with a social media post on Wednesday, where Ocasio-Cortez expressed her eagerness to collaborate for the benefit of working families in New York.

Ocasio-Cortez also commended the Democratic congressman aiming to succeed the retiring Rep. Jerrold Nadler, along with three socialist candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani.

Interestingly, Conley has yet to comment on Ocasio-Cortez’s backing or on the three far-left candidates: Brad Lander, a longtime city official; state Rep. Claire Valdez; and activist Daria Riza Avila-Chevalier. These individuals have made headlines for their stances, such as abolishing ICE and expressing critical views on Israel, along with prioritizing the Palestinian cause.

Conley’s opponent in the general election, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), has pointedly questioned her stance on these candidates. “Which one do you want, Kate? Do you reject AOC and the candidates who want to abolish ICE, defund the police, and harm our borders, or do you embrace them?” remarked Lawler’s campaign manager, Ciro Riccardi.

Responses from Lander and Avila-Chevalier reflect their calls to defund the police, with Avila-Chevalier also advocating for the abolition of prisons and halting deportations. She has previously shared tweets questioning Israel’s right to exist and co-founded a pro-Palestinian group at Columbia University that seeks the complete dismantling of Western civilization.

With these developments, the three candidates backed by Mamdani may potentially double the ranks of a leftist group known as the Squad, closely aligned with Ocasio-Cortez, which also champions the abolishment of ICE.

Conley has faced considerable scrutiny for not addressing socialist candidates during her campaign, including a recent interview where she avoided directly commenting on a candidate who criticized the U.S. post-9/11. Instead, she discussed her military background and stated, “When you talk about the American government’s responsibility, it’s about keeping people safe.”

The race will likely become one of the most closely watched battles in the country. The national Republican Party plans to vigorously support Lawler’s campaign for a third term. Abar Qawas, the socialist candidate who recently won a Democratic primary for a New York State Senate seat, has also sparked controversy with remarks that seemed to justify 9/11.

Lastly, the Cook Political Report has criticized the race, calling it a “disastrous failure” for Democrats as the political landscape has shifted to their favor in recent months.