Progressive campaign challenges Rep. Beatty

WASHINGTON — The progressive organization that helped elevate Rep. Alexandria Ocasiocortez to a primary victory has endorsed Rep. Joyce Beatty’s Democratic primary opponent.

Justice Democrats, the progressive organization founded by advisers to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, announced Wednesday that it has endorsed Morgan Harper for Ohio’s 3rd Congressional District.

“Morgan Harper is part of a new wave of progressive Democrats pledging to reject corporate PAC donations and fight unapologetically for working people,” said Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats. “Morgan is building a grass-roots campaign to fight for solutions as big as the problems we face.”

Before announcing her bid for Congress, Harper, 36, was a senior adviser at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a consumer watchdog agency. She also served as a vice president at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, which invests in under-resourced communities.

Justice Democrats made their mark in 2018 by recruiting Ocasio-cortez, D-N.Y., and endorsing Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-minnesota, Rashida Tlaib, D-michigan, and Ayanna Pressley, D-massachusetts. The four, now known as “the squad,” were the target of a series of tweets from President Donald Trump last month urging them to “go back” to their home countries. All but Omar were born in the United States. Omar is a naturalized citizen born in Somalia.

Justice Democrats push their candidates to reject corporate PAC donations, back “Medicare for All” and support both the Green New Deal and abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.

Beatty, who is serving her fourth term, is a member of the House Financial Services Committee. In a news release announcing their support for Harper, the Justice Democrats said Beatty receives financial support from insurance companies, commercial banks and finance/ credit companies.