Former AOC staffer to primary Pelosi as yearslong feud continues

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s former chief of staff is launching a primary challenge against Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Saikat Chakrabarti said the Democratic Party needs new leadership.
• When Chakrabarti worked on Capitol Hill for Ocasio-Cortez in 2019, he was loathed by lawmakers and staff alike.
• Challenging Pelosi’s legacy and funding streams will be a difficult feat.

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The former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., is launching a primary campaign against Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. In his announcement, Saikat Chakrabarti said that the Democratic Party needs new leadership and that Pelosi should not be elected to a 21st term.

“I respect what Nancy Pelosi has accomplished in her career, but we are living in a totally different America than the one she knew when she entered politics 45 years ago,” Chakrabarti wrote on X. “After Trump’s victory, Pelosi said the Democrats don’t need to change. I disagree.”

What was the staffer like on Capitol Hill?

When Chakrabarti worked on Capitol Hill for Ocasio-Cortez in 2019, he was loathed by lawmakers and staff alike. He once picked a fight with Pelosi on Twitter, soon after she was elected speaker.

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He doubted whether she was really a “legislative mastermind” and said freshman members like Ocasio-Cortez were more strategic. Chakrabarti also said Pelosi was “outmaneuvered” by Republicans.

The freshman staff member lost his battle with the speaker, who is described as having “an iron fist in a Gucci glove.” He resigned after just eight months on the job.

Why did Chakrabarti decide to run, and what are his chances?

While Chakrabarti struck a respectful tone with Pelosi in his announcement, he made it clear he believes Americans had it better when she started her career than they do now.

“When Nancy Pelosi was first elected to Congress, you could buy a home on a single income. A summer job could pay for college. Republicans believed in climate change and respected election results,” Chakrabarti wrote. “Now, the things that defined the American Dream — being able to afford health care, education, a home, and raise a family — are impossible for most people.” 

He also mentioned the inside-the-Beltway political fight between Ocasio-Cortez and Pelosi that has continued since 2019.

“When Democrats were about to appoint their star communicator — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — to chair the powerful Oversight committee to hold Trump and his cronies accountable, Pelosi personally intervened to block it,” Chakrabarti wrote.

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Challenging a politician with Pelosi’s legacy will not be an easy feat; her bank account is another matter. Pelosi has more than $2 million cash-on-hand in her campaign account, and she has a fundraising prowess that’s matched by few others.

After all, being the speaker means you are the chief fundraiser for your party. Chakrabarti is reportedly a millionaire and may be able to self-finance part of his campaign.