An Illinois Democratic House candidate who was supported in his primary election by the Nancy Pelosi-led party establishment now says he would push for new leadership if elected in November.
Brendan Kelly, who won the Democratic primary in Illinois's 12th district last week, refused to take a position when asked over the summer whether he would support Pelosi, but now firmly says Democrats "need new leadership," according to the Southern Illinoisan.
"I think we need new leadership in both parties and that’s just how I feel and I feel that way because the way it’s currently going in D.C. has not served the people of Southern Illinois," Kelly said.
Kelly was added late last year to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's list of top-tier candidates who would be given organizational and fundraising support for attempts to flip Republican districts. His campaign was given thousands of dollars by the committee, which is chaired by loyal Pelosi ally Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D., N.M.).
The decision to formally buck Pelosi follows the win in Pennsylvania by Conor Lamb, who stated early on in his special election campaign that he would not support Pelosi if elected. His win gave new life to calls from members of the Democratic caucus to elect a new leader.
"If we're going to take the majority, it's going to be because we win districts like that," Rep. Filemon Vela (D., Texas) told Politico. "Running against Nancy Pelosi is going to help you a lot more than running with her."
"I think everyone's watching what Conor Lamb's doing, and I hope they're taking notes," said Rep. Seth Moulton (D., Mass.), who openly began questioning Pelosi's role in the party last summer.
Attempting to capitalize on the internal strife, Republicans are calling on Kelly to "go all in" on his denouncement of Pelosi by rejecting money from party committees.
"If Brendan Kelly is going to denounce Nancy Pelosi, he has to go all in," said a spokesman for the National Republican Campaign Committee. "He cannot simultaneously call for new Democratic leadership, while accepting contributions and campaign assistance from the old Democratic leadership."
Pelosi has signaled that she will not go down without a fight and has rejected the notion that she was an important issue in Pennsylvania's special election.