Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has grown used to batting away chatter that she wants to run for higher office. “They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat, and my ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country,” Ocasio-Cortez said recently. “Presidents come and go … Elected officials come and go, but single-payer health care is forever. A living wage is forever. Workers’ rights are forever.” She’s got a point, writes columnist Errol Louis. It’s not too soon for Democrats to start thinking about the long-term changes they’ll make if they gain some power in Washington this fall. “Republicans only hold a three-seat majority in the House of Representatives. This is the narrowest margin of any party since 1930,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote to party members in a confident “Dear Colleague” letter. “The failed GOP majority will not be able to gerrymander themselves back into power. Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives in November.” “But even if Jeffries is right, what then?” writes Louis. “It’s easy enough to critique life under President Trump and the Republicans who control Congress. Every trip to the gas station or the supermarket is a reminder of broken promises, and Trump remains extremely unpopular. Given those advantages, national Democratic leaders seem to hope they can simply coast to victory in November and not think too much about their message in the process.” Read more from Louis on why coasting on anti-Trump messaging will not be enough for Democrats this fall: nymag.visitlink.me/UxZ3Qc
