Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Richard Neal, the chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means committee, survived a primary challenge on Tuesday from progressive challenger Alex Morse in a race in which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez chose opposing sides, according to a projection from the Associated Press. Neal, 71, who has served in Congress since 1989, had the endorsement of Pelosi and the state’s Republican governor, Charlie Baker, in the Democratic primary for Massachusetts’ 1st congressional district. Ocasio-Cortez’s PAC endorsed Morse, as the young congresswoman waded into a Massachusetts primary on the opposite side of the house speaker again. Pelosi drew the ire of "AOC" when she endorsed Rep. Joe Kennedy over incumbent progressive Sen. Ed Markey, who co-wrote the Green New Deal with Ocasio-Cortez. Examples of recent successes include Jamaal Bowman, who defeated New York Rep. Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Marie Newman, who beat anti-abortion Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski in Illinois this year.

Source: Fox News September 02, 2020 01:52 UTC