POLITICS APRIL 5, 2019 / 5:06 PM / UPDATED 17 HOURS AGO

Liberal group squares off with U.S. Democratic leadership over challenging incumbents

Susan Cornwell
4 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The grassroots group that helped propel U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez into Congress is taking on Democratic party leaders over what critics call an effort to deter liberal candidates from running against more moderate incumbents.

Justice Democrats debuted a new website late Thursday to help progressive primary challengers get the communications, advertising and digital resources they need to mount campaigns for the 2020 congressional elections.

The announcement was a direct challenge to the party’s official campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Last month, the DCCC said it would not do business with political consultants and firms that help candidates challenging Democratic members of Congress next year.

Ocasio-Cortez shocked the Democratic establishment last year with a primary challenge that ousted a senior Democrat, Representative Joe Crowley.

The DCCC policy, which party aides say codifies a long-time informal arrangement, could make it harder for political newcomers to attract top political consulting talent.

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