Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said on Wednesday evening that it is “insulting” that Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC), an African-American male, is the only top Democrat who has an announced challenger.
Speaking to CNN’s Don Lemon, Richmond pointed out that “out of the three leadership positions, only the African-American male has opposition within our party.”
Clyburn, who is currently the highest-ranking Democrat as assistant leader, is running to get back his Majority Whip position that he held the last time Democrats had the majority in the House. Richmond pointed out that “there is no announced opposition” to Steny Hoyer (D-MD), who is running for Majority Leader, and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who is running to regain he Speakership.
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) is challenging Clyburn, and the race has gotten nasty. Clyburn accused Democrats this week of using racial “dog whistles” to oust him from leadership.
Richmond said he will not bite his tongue in stressing the importance of Clyburn’s Majority Whip race, saying he has “tunnel vision” on the race because if Clyburn loses, there would be “no diversity” in the party’s leadership “because the person running against him is not a minority.”
“So I think this talks about who we are as a Democratic Party, “Richmond continued. “We’re good enough to vote, we’re good enough to get elected, but we’re not good enough to lead. That’s a real issue.”
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