AP
Rep. Mondaire Jones, a confirmed leftist doing his best to sell himself as a moderate to unseat GOP Rep. Mike Lawler in a razor-thin race, has been getting pummeled by ads pointing out that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed him during his 2020 run, gushing that he was “the pride of New York.”
It could be the kiss of death for Jones: AOC, who accuses Israel of “genocide” and calls for cuts to military aid to the Jewish state, is political poison in the hotly contested 17th District, where Jews will account for 20% to 25% of the vote.
It couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy.
Until about five minutes ago, Jones toed the far-left line on nearly every issue.
Back in 2020, he was happy to be associated with AOC; he credited her as his inspiration to run for office in the first place, by expanding his “imagination of what a young person of color could do in New York state politics.”
He ran with The Squad, and for good reason: He fit right in with the ragtag group of radicals.
He supported Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.
He called for defunding the police when that was the progressive issue du jour (he’s since backed off, at least publicly) and advocated for convicted felons’ right to vote from jail.
He supported policies to weaken our border and backed amnesty for illegal immigrants — which, shocker, he’s also changed his tune on, since voters aren’t thrilled with needy migrants and gangbangers flooding their neighborhoods.
He now claims he’s “built a record as a staunch defender of Israel,” but he voted against authorizing funding for Israel’s Iron Dome and other missile-defense systems during his first go-’round in Congress — repeatedly.
AOC gave him her stamp of approval (as did prog heavyweights Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren) because they share the same radical, destructive worldviews.
Only (womp, womp) those positions turned out to be wildly unpopular with voters.
Jones is trying to run from his radical leftist record now because he wants to win, but make no mistake: He got AOC’s endorsement because he earned it.