'Squad' member says Democrats must not 'succumb to elitism and laziness' after Harris defeat

WASHINGTON (TNND) — Outgoing Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., said the Democratic Party must not “succumb to elitism and laziness” following Wednesday's presidential election results.

Rep. Bowman, a member of the progressive Congressional Squad, was a vocal supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris during her campaign. The congresswoman was among the first Democratic lawmakers to endorse Harris in July after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, calling her the “best choice to move us forward.”

Reacting to the vice president's loss on Wednesday, Rep. Bowman called on the Democratic Party to “undergo some serious soul-searching.” He said the party needs to evaluate why many Americans are not “aligned” with it.

“New voices and leadership, as well as deep listening and learning across diverse groups, are urgently needed,” said Rep. Bowman. “Democrats must not succumb to elitism or laziness, and we must not simply leave things to a so-called 'moderate' middle.”

The congressman, who lost his Democratic primary in June, went on to identify which Republican Party strategies he believes contributed to President-elect Donald Trump's victory.

They take a problem, regardless of the initial popularity of their position, pounce on it, using whatever communication stream they need to speak to and activating their base. “Democrats just don’t do that,” he said.

Rep. Bowman advised Democrats to put “kitchen table issues” at the forefront of their efforts, stressing that the party must “consider the needs and wants of everyday Americans.”

The Democratic Party received a similar call Wednesday from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. The senator, who is a registered independent but caucuses with Democrats, called it unsurprising that a party that “abandoned the working class” lost the presidential race.

“First it was the white working class, and now it's Latino and black workers too,” he said. “While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right.”

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., also encouraged Democrats to begin “conscience searching” on Wednesday, saying the party was “getting the message from a lot of people that we're not hearing them.”

In her concession speech on Wednesday, Harris urged her supporters to keep “fighting.”

“This is not the time to throw up your hands. This is the time to roll up our sleeves,” the vice president said.