Some Weird Alliances Are Breaking Out Among Democrats

Rep.ConorLamb,D-Pa.,leavestheU.S.CapitolafterthelastHousevotesoftheweekonThursday,April7,2022.(TomWilliams/CQ-RollCall,IncviaGettyImages)InLikeaLion.OutLikeaLamb.DemocratshavespentthefirstfewmonthsofDonaldTrump’spresidencybickeringamongstthemselves—notoverideologyorevenpolicypositions,butovercommunicationstylesandeachother’swillingnessto“fight.” Thefissureshaveproducedcallsforchangesinleadership,awaveofnewcandidatesforoffice,andsomeunexpectedcoalitionsamongthosecurrentlyserving.Perhapsthemosttellingexampleofthisdynamiccamelastweek,duringanexchangeamongSen.JohnFetterman,formerPennsylvaniaRep.ConorLamb(Fetterman’sone-timeprimaryopponent),andRep.AlexandriaOcasio-Cortez. Innormaltimes,AOCandLambwouldnotbestrategicoreventemperamentalallies.TheNewYorkcongresswomanisaprogressivestalwart.Lambisaneven-temperedmoderatefromPittsburghwhohaslargelystayedoutofintra-partyfightssincehelosttoFettermanin2022. Butthesearen’tnormaltimes.An