The “Squad” — the group of progressive congresswomen led by U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. — takes their traveling road show to the Boston area this weekend, but whether that’s a good thing for Democrats is questionable.
It’s fitting that the group of lawmakers is playing a fundraising event in Cambridge and a show in the small Somerville Theatre, because that’s about the only place they will be fully embraced by liberal Massachusetts voters.
“We are excited to have this dynamic group of Congresswomen together in the MA-07,” Pressley’s campaign said, referring to AOC, Pressley, and U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. “Events like the ones planned for this weekend are great opportunities to celebrate the progress we’ve achieved together, continue building the movement for bold, community-centered change, and create momentum.”
“Welcome to Boston, fam!” Pressley tweeted.
The rest of the country? Not so sure.
The Squad is the Make America Great Again version of the left. It peaked in 2020. The group has lost some of its luster since it became the darling of progressives and liberal media several years ago. Shut out by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, AOC has limited power to pass anything and has become more of a nuisance to the party than a benefit.
None of the members of the Squad are on a leadership track in Congress and operate mostly on the fringes.
Boston, Cambridge and Somerville are some of the few places the cohort of congresswomen can go and still pretend they are relevant. You can get people to buy tickets in Somerville but good luck selling them in Methuen or Marlborough or Tewksbury.
The event on Saturday features musical and “spoken word” performances, according to the organizers.
Gee, would be a shame to miss out on the poetry slam.
The Squad is going to Somerville and Cambridge because they don’t represent the mainstream of the country or even the Democratic Party.
Even in Massachusetts, progressive candidates backed by Pressley lost their races in the Democratic primary earlier this month. It was a shocking rebuke to the far left in one of the farthest left states in the nation.
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Maura Healey has wisely kept her distance from the far left, deciding instead to focus on moderate, middle class voters and pocketbook issues.
Healey has a double-digit lead over Republican Geoff Diehl in the polls, and doesn’t need the power of the Squad to lift her up.
At a time when Healey and the Democrats need to show they’re in touch with the average person, putting extremists like AOC out there just before the midterm election isn’t the best way to reach out to voters.
Only in places like Somerville and Cambridge are the Squad still treated like rock stars. Don’t even think about getting tickets, because the event is sold out.
