Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez dodged questions on Wednesday about whether House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) should continue to lead Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives.
Perez was asked in an interview with MSNBC's Hallie Jackson whether he thought the upset win by Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez required Democrats to choose new leaders.
"I'm wondering if this victory by Ocasio-Cortez signals to you a frustration with Democratic leadership is right now, whether this is a sign coming from progressives, coming from some Democrats that Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer need to step aside and let in new blood?" Jackson asked.
Perez avoided giving a straight answer, indicating a decision on leadership wasn't one to be made today.
"Time will tell, but I think what we've seen in elections across the country are candidates who won by focusing on the issues that were keeping their constituents up at night," Perez said.
Jackson asked Perez to name individuals who he thought should take over if Schumer or Pelosi step aside. Perez continued to dodge, saying the decision was for "other people" and he was focused on the midterm elections.
"I'll leave that to other people," Perez said. "I'll tell you what my focus is. We have to make sure we are winning in November. Because again, it is important to understand that the playing field in so many of these congressional races is not level because of the partisan gerrymandering."
The interview temporarily shifted to Perez discussing how Democrats were preparing for the November elections and to him disparaging the recent Supreme Court ruling on public labor unions. At the end of the interview, Jackson asked Perez one more time about Pelosi.
"I gotta clarify because I didn't hear a clear answer from you. Should Nancy Pelosi – is she the right leader to lead the party into the future?" Jackson asked.
"That is up for the Democratic leadership to decide," Perez said. "I have great respect for Nancy Pelosi. She has done great work for the Affordable Care Act, it exists because of Nancy Pelosi."
Rep. Joe Crowley (D., N.Y.), the incumbent who Ocasio-Cortez beat, is the chair of the House Democratic Caucus and has been quietly campaigning to become the next Democratic leader should Pelosi lose her base of support.