Newspaper Calls Pelosi "Most Right-Wing Candidate" in Bay Area District
IMAGE CREDITS: ALEX WONG / GETTY.
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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, long criticized by Republicans and moderate Democrats as a symbol of the far-left, was called “the most right-wing candidate” in her district race by a California newspaper.
“Nancy Pelosi is the most right-wing candidate in her reelection race this year,” declared Emily Cadei in the San Francisco Bee. “The House Democratic leader faces not one, but three, Democratic challengers in 2018, as well as a Green Party candidate. And while national Republicans love to target Pelosi as the face of the far left in their campaigns, her opponents complain she’s actually not liberal enough for her San Francisco district…”
Animosity towards Pelosi from the extreme left-wing of the party is so deep it led one of her three primary opponents, Attorney Stephen Jaffe, to file a lawsuit against the California Democratic Party, claiming it “actively worked” to prevent him from challenging the party’s automatic endorsement of Pelosi.
As a result of an automatic endorsement, Pelosi – unlike California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who is also seeking reelection – avoided facing a vote during the state party’s annual convention.
By contrast, Feinstein failed to gather the support of the necessary 60 percent of the convention delegates required for an official endorsement. Her opponent, far-left state Senate President pro temp Kevin De Leon, nearly earned the party’s endorsement himself, carrying 54 percent of the convention delegates compared to Feinstein’s 37 percent.
Jaffe, a volunteer for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, called Pelosi “disconnected and out of touch” with the people of San Francisco – which makes up the entirety of California’s 12th congressional district – due to her failure to embrace causes like single-payer health care.
Despite grumblings from the far-left, Pelosi has not faced a credible, organized challenger since 2008, when antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan challenged her; Pelosi handedly defeated her with nearly 72 percent of the vote.
Growing opposition to Pelosi from the notoriously far-left population of San Francisco, as well as the state party’s repudiation of longtime Senator Dianne Feinstein in favor of a more far-left opponent, are indicative of how far left the Democratic Party is trending.