Battenfeld: Ayanna Pressley emerges as most far left Democrat in Massachusetts

She’s to the left of Elizabeth Warren and now in peril of turning into a fringe voice in Congress.

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s vote in opposition to further safety for Supreme Courtroom members’ households cements her as arguably essentially the most far left main politician in Massachusetts, and that’s saying lots.

Is she in contact with the folks of her district in any respect?

Arduous to inform, as a result of she’s working unopposed and never more likely to face any severe opposition so long as she needs to remain in Congress.

But when she needs to emerge as a statewide candidate for U.S. senator or governor some day, Pressley could also be treading into questionable turf.

Pressley was the lone vote within the all-Democratic, closely liberal Massachusetts congressional delegation in opposition to a invoice to develop safety protections to Supreme Courtroom justices’ households.

The vote got here after a person armed with weapons was arrested close to the house of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whereas threats mount in opposition to justices following the leak of a draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.

Pressley was one in every of simply 27 Democrats within the U.S. Home to vote in opposition to the invoice, arguing that the justices have already got safety protections and that abortion suppliers and sufferers don’t have any protections.

The Boston congresswoman limits her entry to the media and communicates principally with tweets or ready statements. She’s by no means actually requested a troublesome query.

“Everybody ought to really feel protected of their office, their dwelling and their group,” the congresswoman stated in a press release explaining her vote on safety for Supreme Courtroom justices. “Proper now, the unprecedented actions of this excessive Supreme Courtroom have put lives in danger — together with and particularly the lives of our abortion care suppliers, well being middle workers, and the sufferers searching for abortion care who’re focused by anti-abortion extremists incited by dangerous rhetoric from the nation’s highest courtroom.”

It’s rhetoric like that which will please the far left voters of the state however Pressley’s vote may look much less affordable to these within the middle, particularly contemplating the truth that the excessive courtroom’s Roe v. Wade determination is about to come back out.

Pressley now makes Warren and Ed Markey appear like moderates.

When Republicans take over the Home subsequent 12 months, the place does that depart Pressley and the remainder of the Squad, together with the chief, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who additionally voted in opposition to the courtroom safety measure? The place does Pressley go from right here, except for remaining in Congress as a fringe, ineffective voice? Can she be taught to work with members who don’t share  her far left views?

Pressley made an enormous nationwide splash shortly after arriving in Congress. She had simply knocked off an entrenched Democrat, Michael Capuano, and shortly joined forces with AOC and the opposite Squad members, all girls of colour.

However even AOC’s star is beginning to fade nationally, and her clout has been diminished by Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Pressley wants to interrupt away from the Squad or she’ll threat dropping any clout she has now.