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jessica cisneros
'I Simply Cannot Stand By': Jayapal Endorses Cisneros Against Anti-Abortion Incumbent Cuellar
"The freedom for people to make choices about our own bodies is at stake."
"I don't make the decision to endorse an opponent to a colleague in my caucus lightly," Jayapal added, noting that it's atypical for a sitting member of Congress to endorse primary challenges against incumbents in their party--though a number of prominent lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), have also endorsed Cisneros.
"However," Jayapal continued, "the freedom for people to make choices about our own bodies is at stake, and I simply cannot stand by when there is a strong pro-choice, pro-worker Democrat ready to step in."
Cisneros, an outspoken supporter of Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, and other top progressive priorities, fell just shy of defeating Cuellar in 2020, and she forced a runoff with the right-wing Democrat in the first round of voting earlier this year.
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Cisneros Slams Cuellar for Being Only House Democrat to Vote Against Abortion Rights
Despite Cuellar's steadfast opposition to abortion rights, climate action, and other key elements of his party's agenda, the top three Democrats in the House--Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.), and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (S.C.)--have endorsed the corporate-funded incumbent's reelection bid and campaigned on his behalf in the final stretch of the race.
"Pelosi has endorsed me. Steny has endorsed me. Clyburn has endorsed me," Cuellar bragged during a recent campaign rally.
A number of political vendors approved by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee--the campaign arm of House Democrats--are also working to reelect Cuellar as the Supreme Court's right-wing majority appears poised to overturn Roe v. Wade in the coming weeks, potentially paving the way for a nationwide abortion ban.
Earlier this month, Cisneros called on the House Democratic leadership to drop its support for Cuellar, declaring that "with the House majority on the line, he could very much be the deciding vote on the future of our reproductive rights and we cannot afford to take that risk."
"On May 24th, we will defeat the last anti-choice Democrat and South Texas will finally have a representative in their corner that will fight for their healthcare and freedom," Cisneros said in a statement. "I hope Democratic Party leadership won't stand in the way of delivering for South Texans. I am ready to work with them to deliver on the Democratic agenda."
Cisneros Calls on Democratic Leaders to End Support for Cuellar Over Anti-Abortion Stance
Cisneros, who forced a May 24 runoff with Cuellar in the Democratic primary for Texas' 28th Congressional District earlier this year, said in a statement that the nine-term incumbent "is the last anti-choice Democrat in the House."
In September, just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Texas' abortion ban to take effect, Cuellar was the only House Democrat to vote against passage of the Women's Health Protection Act, legislation that would codify the right to abortion care into federal law.
"At every turn, my congressman has stood in opposition to the Democratic Party agenda from being anti-union to being anti-choice," said Cisneros. "With the House majority on the line, he could very much be the deciding vote on the future of our reproductive rights and we cannot afford to take that risk."
"On May 24th, we will defeat the last anti-choice Democrat and South Texas will finally have a representative in their corner that will fight for their healthcare and freedom," she continued. "I hope Democratic Party leadership won't stand in the way of delivering for South Texans. I am ready to work with them to deliver on the democratic agenda."
Despite Cuellar's right-wing record on abortion, unions, and immigration as well as recent news that his home and campaign office were raided by the FBI, the top three Democrats in the House--Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.)--have stood by the Texas incumbent and endorsed his reelection campaign.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Clyburn is expected to attend a get-out-the-vote rally for Cuellar in San Antonio. A spokesperson for Clyburn told VICE that the Democratic leader "is still planning to be with Cuellar" following the leak of a Supreme Court opinion Monday night signaling that the majority is poised to end Roe, a decision that would strike a devastating blow to abortion rights and much more.
In a statement responding to the leak, Cuellar said Tuesday that "as a Catholic, I do not support abortion, however, we cannot have an outright ban."
"There must be exceptions in the case of rape, incest, and danger to the life of the mother," Cuellar added.
On top of receiving the endorsements of top House Democrats, Cuellar is also benefiting from the work of political vendors approved by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the campaign arm of House Democrats.
"Financial disclosures indicate that three DCCC-approved political firms--AL Media, Impact Research (formerly Anzalone Liszt Group), and Baughman Company/BaughmanMerrill--are actively working to re-elect Cuellar," The American Prospect's Jarod Facundo reported Wednesday. "AL Media placed $786,756 in advertising for Cuellar in January and February of this year. Baughman received $188,575 from the Cuellar campaign from November 2021 to February 2022 for a mail program. Impact Research/Anzalone Liszt received $18,400 for research last November."
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Top House Democrats Under Fresh Fire for Backing Anti-Choice Cuellar
As the Democratic establishment looks to pull Cuellar over the finish line yet again, progressive advocacy groups and lawmakers including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) are supporting Cisneros' grassroots campaign.
"In 20 days, we have an opportunity to oust the last anti-choice Democrat from the U.S. House of Representatives," Ocasio-Cortez's campaign team wrote in a fundraising email in support of the Cisneros campaign on Wednesday. "Jessica Cisneros is running against Henry Cuellar in TX-28, a 'Democrat' that prior to being challenged by Jessica, voted almost 70% of the time with Donald Trump."
"In a time when reproductive rights are being severely attacked in our nation, we need to take decisive action and show what we stand for," the email continued.
Cisneros, an immigration and human rights attorney, fell just short of unseating Cuellar in her first primary attempt in 2020.
"Henry Cuellar was the only Democrat to vote with Republicans against codifying Roe," Cisneros tweeted Tuesday. "I'll always stand for our healthcare and the right to choose."
Sanders Has 'Not Ruled Out' 2024 White House Run: Memo
"In the event of an open 2024 Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Sanders has not ruled out another run for president, so we advise that you answer any questions about 2024 with that in mind," Faiz Shakir, the independent senator from Vermont's 2020 campaign manager, wrote in the memo to political allies.
The Post reports that "the memo was shared by a person with direct knowledge of its contents on the condition of anonymity because it was not released publicly, and confirmed by a second person with direct knowledge of the contents."
Sanders spokesperson Mike Casca told the Post that "while it's frustrating this private memo leaked to the media, the central fact remains true, which is that Sen. Sanders is the most popular officeholder in the country."
According to recent YouGov America polling, 80-year-old Sanders is the most popular currently serving politician in the United States, with a 48% positive opinion rating. Biden trails at 42%, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) at 38% and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who are tied at 37%.
In April 2020, Sanders ended his second consecutive attempt to represent a party whose establishment was accused of being primarily focused on ensuring that the democratic socialist never became its presidential nominee. The following month, Sanders said there was only a "very, very slim chance" that he would ever run for president again.
Last month, it was reported that key Sanders campaign officials are encouraging Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to run for president if Biden does not run in 2024.
Addressing the 2022 midterm elections, the memo states that Sanders--who has endorsed progressives running for Congress including Nina Turner in Ohio, Jessica Cisneros in Texas, and Summer Lee in Pennsylvania--"is interested in endorsing more candidates and we'd love your help identifying potential target races."
"We do understand that corporate-backed campaigns will try to make Sen. Sanders' endorsement controversial, especially in a Democratic primary," the memo adds before offering suggested answers to frequently asked questions.
One of those: "Will you support Sanders if he challenges Biden in 2024?"
The suggested response: "Sen. Sanders is focused on helping Joe Biden have a successful presidency. As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, no one fought harder for the president's policy agenda than Bernie. He traveled to Republican congressional districts last summer to promote Build Back Better. Unfortunately, that legislation was stopped by corporate Democrats."
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Sanders to Visit Amazon Workers in NYC on Eve of Second Union Election
On Sunday, Sanders will head to New York City to stand in solidarity with Amazon workers, some of whom recently won and others who are fighting for a union. That same day he'll head to Richmond, Virginia to congratulate Starbucks employees who won five straight unionization votes on Tuesday.
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