House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) reacted to news that the fourth most powerful Democrat in the House lost his primary bid to a rookie on Wednesday by predicting the Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) “may” be seen “in the public sector again” one day.
“Joe Crowley is a very valued member of Congress, a great gentleman, as you saw in the dignity of his concession last night to Alexandria (Ocasio-Cortez),” she said. “We’ll miss him, but he has extraordinary talent and we may see him in the public sector again.”
Pelosi added that Democratic members will have a chance to choose Crowley’s replacement in party leadership.
Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democratic candidate who was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and the Democratic Socialists of America, beat out the incumbent lawmaker in a stunning win Tuesday.
Pelosi said Wednesday she didn’t think that what happened in the New York Queens district was reflective of a broader trend in the party.