Security Democrats (United States Congress)
Security Democrats, also National-Security Democrats, is the informal name for a group of seven people elected in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections, made up of Gil Cisneros of California, Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia. All have military or intelligence backgrounds.[1][2] In addition, Politico lists Max Rose of New York and Jared Golden of Maine as members, which would make a total of nine members.[3] Each of their districts is moderate and perceived as quite possibly being lost to Republicans in 2020.[2] The group represents centrist Democrat view focused on national security. All of the won seats previously controlled by Republicans.[1][4] The female members refer to themselves as "the badass women".[3]
History and beliefs
The beliefs and political philosophies of the Security Democrats are defined by their national service in the intelligence or military fields. None of them are career politicians. Their focus and goal is to be a solid group that defends the Constitution of the United States. The core seven members jointly wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post on 23 September 2019 that stated their belief that President Donald Trump used pressure and taxpayer money to try to force Ukraine into investigating his political opponents and that his actions are a major threat to the security of the United States. If these allegations are true, they believe impeachment was warranted.[1][2] Thirty minutes after the publication of this op-ed Luria was on the set of the The Rachel Maddow Show.[2] Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry the day after they published an op-ed in the Washington Post. Trump was eventually impeached by the House of Representatives but not convicted by the Senate.[4] Considering that most of them won Republican districts by slim margins, the publication of this op-ed showed they were earnest in their beliefs because it put their political careers and reputations on the line.[5] Crow was one of seven House managers of the impeachment.[6]
They are well-acquainted with each other, meeting, dining, and group chatting together and their families know each other.[2] According to Benjamin Wallace-Wells of The New Yorker, they are a trustworthy, steadfast, earnest and "Eagle Scout sort of group".[2] One of their top goals is to wrest control of national security and foreign policy from Republicans. They also feel there is too much focus on the The Squad, another group of freshmen Democrats elected in 2018.[3] As a whole, the group works towards bipartisanship and supporting current and former military members. However, they do not always agree on issues. Only Cisneros, Houlahan and Luria supported Pelosi for House Speaker in January 2019.[3]
Membership
References
- Cisneros, Gil; Crow, Jason; Houlahan, Chrissy; Luria, Elaine; Sherrill, Mikie; Slotkin, Elissa; Spanberger, Abigail (23 September 2019). "Seven freshman Democrats: These allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect". Washington Post. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- Wallace-Wells, Benjamin (28 September 2019). "How the Security Democrats Came Around to Impeachment". The New Yorker. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- Bender, Bryan; O'Brien, Connor (2 August 2019). "The 'gang' of national security Democrats seeking to check Trump's power". Politico. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- Wallace-Wells, Benjamin (21 December 2019). "The Political Education of the Security Democrats". The New Yorker. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- Clevenger, Andrew; Oswald, Rachel (10 January 2020). "Freshman national security Democrats seize political moment". Rollcall. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- Gonzales, Nathan L. (28 January 2020). "Fate of 'national security Democrats' provides key to House majority". Rollcall. Retrieved 18 July 2020.