Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed Democratic strategist James Carville for complaining about "preachy females" in the Democratic Party.
Carville discussed the state of the Democratic Party in an interview with The New York Times published Saturday, in which he touched on Democrats' waning support among some Black men, as polls suggest former President Donald Trump has gained ground with Black voters ahead of the November presidential election, potentially creating a headache for President Joe Biden and Democrats, who have relied on their strength among the Black community for decades.
He said that he has a "suspicion" that there are "too many preachy females" dominating the culture of the Democratic Party
"Don't drink beer. Don't watch football. Don't eat hamburgers. This is not good for you. The message is too feminine: Everything you're doing is destroying the planet. You've got to eat your peas," he said.
He continued: "If you listen to Democratic elites—NPR is my go-to place for that—the whole talk is about how women, and women of color, are going to decide this election. I'm like: 'Well, 48 percent of the people that vote are males. Do you mind if they have some consideration?'"
His comments did not land with many Democrats, including Ocasio-Cortez, who is among the group of progressive lawmakers colloquially known as "the squad."
"Maybe he should start a podcast about it. I hear men are really underrepresented in that space," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in response to a post about Carville's interview.
Newsweek reached out to Ocasio-Cortez via email and Carville via the Bipartisan Policy Center for comment.
Ocasio-Cortez and Carville represent opposite wings of the Democratic Party, with the New York Democrat being viewed as a rising star among the progressive left. Carville, meanwhile, is considered a more centrist Democrat known for helping former President Bill Clinton's victory in the 1992 presidential election.
The two have previously sparred over the direction of the party, including in November 2021 when Democrats suffered defeats at the polls. Carville blamed Democratic losses on "wokeness," sparking pushback from Ocasio-Cortez.
Women are a crucial part of the Democratic Party's coalition. According to CNN's exit polls of the 2020 presidential race, 57 percent of women backed Biden, while 42 percent voted for Trump. Among men, 53 percent voted for Trump, and 45 percent supported Biden.
Carville's latest remarks sparked fury from other Democratic women on X.
"The problem isn't that there are too many 'preachy women' in that space; the problem is that they're simply repeating what men have already said," wrote Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson.
"Friendly reminder that James Carville has not consulted for a successful political campaign in the United States since 1992. That's 32 years. That span includes three failed presidential campaigns and a failed PAC for Senate candidate Conor Lamb. I'm not eager for his analysis," posted commentator Charlotte Clymer.
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Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more
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