Cooper has not been liked by progressives for years, even at a time when the left was less muscular than he is today. In 2013, Daily Kos came up with the idea of challenging Cooper and criticized him for voting against almost $ 51 billion in aid to Hurricane Sandy.
The fact that he voted against spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi and did not pay his party debts promptly also upset the liberals at the time.
In a press release on his main challenge, justice democrats called Cooper a “conservative democrat” and attacked him for supporting the Balanced Budget Amendment and opposing the encouragement of former President Barack Obama.
“I am the only candidate for Congress who is committed to bold and ambitious changes,” said Kelly. “Jim Cooper is one of the wealthiest members of Congress, who receives money from corporate PACs that represent arms manufacturers and real estate developers, with no real record of progressive change in nearly 40 years. This city needs a leader who fights for the people who make Nashville great. “
Kelly, who is also advertising her campaign today, previously worked as a community center manager at a recreation center in Nashville and co-founded Stand Up Nashville, a progressive group focused on racial and economic inequality. She would be the first openly gay black woman to win a seat in Congress if elected.
In addition to helping Ocasio-Cortez defeat the former Rep. Joe Crowley of New York, Justice Democrats supported the Reps. Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, Marie Newman and Ayanna Pressley on their success campaigns against effective members of the House of Democrats.
The crusade against Cooper fits the model for the other victors in the group challenges in at least one way: its headquarters in Nashville is a blue district, where President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump by almost 24 percentage points.
The fact that Cooper represents a comfortable Democratic area – but does not vote as progressive – is part of what has been attracting the ire of liberals for years.