MSNBC host Katy Tur said Monday that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) is an electoral "liability of sorts" to her party given how much criticism she drew as a "lightning rod" for Republicans.
Tur was pointing out how Pelosi has been used in ads to "take down" the Democratic congressional candidate in Georgia's sixth district, Jon Ossoff.
"She's been a liability of sorts to the Democratic Party in terms of Republican opposition," Tur said.
"They've used her as a lightning rod," she added, before asking former White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest whether he agreed with her.
Earnest defended Pelosi, touting her ability to "navigate the politics on Capitol Hill and maximize the leverage that House Democrats have" in influencing debates in Congress.
He then said the Democratic Party needs "younger" leaders.
"I do think what this illustrates, Katy, is we do need other Democrats in addition to effective leaders like Nancy Pelosi to step up and also have a platform. We need younger Democrats, a next generation of Democrats to come forward," Earnest said.
Tur pressed further, asking if Pelosi is an "electoral liability."
Earnest argued that Republicans are trying to target, marginalize, and "caricature the leadership" of the Democratic Party.