Senate candidate Betsy Sweet endorsed by liberal group tied to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

AUGUSTA — A national group that helped elect Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other liberal firebrands to Congress last year is endorsing Betsy Sweet in Maine’s upcoming Senate race in another sign of a philosophical divide among Democratic organizations.

Justice Democrats, a Nashville-based political action committee, gained national attention in 2018 when it recruited Ocasio-Cortez to challenge a veteran New York lawmaker who was a member of the Democratic leadership. Ocasio-Cortez and other liberals backed by Justice Democrats are now among a small but high-profile wing of the Democratic caucus in Congress publicly challenging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other party leaders.

Building off its successes last year, Justice Democrats is now backing additional progressive primary challengers against moderate or centrist Democratic House incumbents.

On Wednesday, Sweet became the first U.S. Senate candidate to pick up an endorsement from the organization. In endorsing Sweet, a well-known progressive activist and lobbyist in Augusta, Justice Democrats separated itself from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and other perceived “establishment” groups backing House Speaker Sara Gideon’s bid to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in 2020.

Read more: https://www.pressherald.com/2019/07/11/betsy-sweet-lands-endorsement-of-liberal-group-tied-to-aoc/
(Portland Press Herald)