For years, Democrats on Capitol Hill have gotten flak for being too California-centric. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s long run in power, Silicon Valley’s deep wallets and the huge Democratic delegation made the Golden State the big power in the House Democratic Caucus.
Now it’s New York’s turn. The Empire State is running the table at the top rungs of the House Democratic Caucus.
Consider this:
– House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries represents Brooklyn.
– Rep. Yvette Clarke is the newly elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
– Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who represents upper Manhattan and the Bronx, is the new chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
– Rep. Grace Meng of Queens was elected chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
– Rep. Gregory Meeks of Queens is the ranking Democrat of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
– Rep. Nydia Velasquez of Brooklyn and Queens is the ranking Democrat on the House Small Business Committee. Again.
– Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of Queens and Brooklyn is running to be the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.
Not to mention that Chuck Schumer is the Senate Democratic leader and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand could be DSCC chair next cycle.
On top of that, President-elect Donald Trump hails from New York. Howard Lutnick, his nominee to be Commerce secretary, is from New York. Robert F. Kennedy now claims California, but the HHS secretary nominee lived most of his life in New York.
Former GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin, Trump’s nominee to lead EPA, represented Long Island in the House. Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to be ambassador to the United Nations, is from upstate New York.
Janette Nesheiwat, Trump’s incoming surgeon general, is from New York. Todd Blanche, the nominee to be deputy attorney general, practices in Manhattan.
To be fair, New York is the fourth-most populous state in America. But the volume of New Yorkers serving in key roles at one time is notable.
