Dems Turning Against ‘The Squad’ and Their ‘Deeply Problematic’ Agenda

More rank-and-file Democrats are pushing back against the extreme left of their party, which is embodied in members of the so-called “Squad,” calling their agenda “deeply problematic” and adding to the party’s political woes ahead of the 2022 midterms.

Specifically, more moderate Democrats worry that like-minded members in swing districts are more prone to defeat by Republican challengers thanks to the far-left politics of ‘progressive’ lawmakers like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Corey Bush (Mo.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Jamaal Bowman (NY), and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), among a few others.

Fox News notes:

A leader of a PAC designed to help moderates told Fox News Digital that the policies trumpeted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her progressive squad are too toxic for Democrats running in the competitive seats that will determine whether Democrats hold onto the majority. 

“We have been kind of shouting this from the rooftops since the 2020 election,” said Matt Bennett, executive vice president of the center-left Third Way and co-founder of Shield PAC, which was launched last year specifically to protect more moderate Democrats, though, in Congress, all Dems generally vote as a bloc, regardless of the legislation.

He noted that 2020 was a wake-up call for the party when Dems lost 14 House seats amid calls to “defund the police” and other far-left policies, all of which were embraced by Republican challengers and used as political fodder for their successful campaigns.

Also, the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race was another example where the GOP used Democrat-backed and highly divisive critical race theory and other school-related policies to propel Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin to win. In addition, GOP lt. governor candidate Winsome Sears also won her race as did Republican attorney general candidate Jason Miyares.

While Squad policies “do fine in Brooklyn,” Bennett told Fox News Digital, “I would say that they are deeply problematic for Democrats running in competitive districts and states. They arm Republicans with very potent attacks, albeit, very misleading ones, but very politically impactful attacks.”

Bennett said he wants the Squad to understand that their policies are harming Democrats’ chances in the November midterms.

“My message would be, please understand that what works in your district does not work in western Iowa and that what you say has consequences for your Democratic colleagues that could profoundly impact the ability of the party to retain majorities,” Bennett said.

Republicans, meanwhile, will seek to paint all Democrats with the same broad ‘progressive’ brush as leftist Squad members, with culture war issues expected to play a huge role in upcoming campaigns.

“The radical views of The Squad are mainstream in today’s Democrat Party,” Republican National Committee spokesman Nathan Brand told Fox News Digital, referring to a recent Rolling Stone magazine cover featuring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appearing to appeal to Ocasio-Cortez and Omar.

“Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi have embraced their agenda, and as a result, Democrats are staring down dismal poll numbers, discouraged voters, and defeat in November,” Brand added.

Fox News continued:

The midterm elections are historically very difficult for the party in power and this year is expected to be especially challenging for Democrats with President Biden’s low approval ratings and inflation that has hit voters in their pocketbooks. 

Further complicating things for moderate Democrats, prominent Squad members continue to advocate for defunding the police, abolishing ICE, phasing out federal prisons and more. Moderate Democrats who believe just the opposite need to be firm on distancing themselves from the Squad policies in their districts, Bennett said. 

“Violent crime is up. And that’s why nobody wants the police defunded who live in places where there’s significant violent crime,” noted Bennett.

Progressives, however, have pushed back, blaming so-called moderates for the failure to pass the party’s and Biden’s agenda, even with congressional majorities.

“In case you hadn’t caught on by now, every time there’s a media push blaming progressives, there’s something conservative Democrats are trying to cover up,” Bush tweeted in response to an Axios story featuring moderates blaming progressives, pointing out that they were not responsible for killing a child care tax credit.

“This time it’s that they sent 4 million kids into poverty because they killed the Child Tax Credit. Don’t get distracted,” she wrote.

In case you hadn’t caught on by now, every time there’s a media push blaming progressives, there’s something conservative Democrats are trying to cover up.

This time it’s that they sent 4 million kids into poverty because they killed the Child Tax Credit.

Don’t get distracted. https://t.co/puaLogy9yR

— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) February 18, 2022

Ocasio-Cortez responded with, “100%.”