Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, appeared skeptical Thursday about the idea of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., mounting a primary challenge against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., emphasizing that age should not define party leadership.
According to Fox News, during an interview on CNN, Crockett dismissed the notion that swapping older lawmakers for younger ones would solve the Democratic Party’s challenges.
“I think there is this feeling within our base that we need to have younger people. I will tell you that I don’t necessarily subscribe to ageism,” Crockett told CNN host Kasie Hunt, who asked her about the potential Ocasio-Cortez challenge.
Speculation has circulated that Ocasio-Cortez could run against Schumer in 2028. Some top Republicans have accused Schumer of resisting a GOP-led funding bill to avoid a potential challenge from Ocasio-Cortez.
Crockett expressed doubt that age alone determines effective leadership, noting that younger members of Congress are not always the ones breaking ranks.
Should age be a factor in Democratic leadership choices?
“I‘m going to be perfectly honest, because even when you look at the votes and you look at the six Democrats that actually broke ranks yesterday out of the House, I can tell you that they weren‘t all elderly,” she said. “There were a number of very young people, definitely one of the members is younger than me.”
Instead, Crockett argued that willingness to fight is the key quality voters should prioritize. “So, I think that it is about who is willing to fight in this moment and what does that fight look like? So, I think New York will have to decide, if Alex does decide to run, who is built for this moment?” she said.
She urged voters to look beyond party labels and focus on leadership qualities. “But when you go out, don‘t just vote for a Democrat, vote for a Democrat that is ready for the fight that we‘re in at this moment, one that is looking for accountability with this rogue administration,” Crockett added.
Crockett herself has been recognized by some as a rising voice within the Democratic Party. Liberal radio host Charlamagne tha God recently praised her, saying, “Jasmine Crockett is actually what the Democrats should be leaning into. She is a phenomenal messenger. And some people just got it. Some people just have a different anointing on them. You don’t know why certain people cause folks to gravitate towards them.”
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