Nina Turner says progressive Democrats who won primaries need to ‘keep up the pressure’

Nina Turner, the former co-chairwoman for Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) presidential campaign, says the progressive Democrats who won in recent primary elections need to “keep up the pressure” on liberal causes if elected in November. 

“They’ve got to keep up the pressure. They’re duly elected just like the neoliberals in that Congress,” Turner said Thursday on The Hill.TV’s “Rising.” 

“They were sent there, [Jamaal] Bowman and others, were sent there to shake things up,” she added, referring to the former middle school principal who declared victory over longtime Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) this week. “Who cares if they get upset — they being the leadership.” 

Turner said progressives “coming in on this wave better stand strong.”

“Because the people are sending a message: Either do what we’re asking you to do, stand up for us, or there will be a consequence,” she said. 

In addition to Bowman’s win, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), the progressive who beat longtime incumbent Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) in 2018, easily defeated a more moderate challenger in Tuesday’s election. 

In Kentucky, progressive challenger Charles Booker is running against Amy McGrath in the Democratic primary to take on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The race has yet to be called. Booker drew national attention in the last weeks of the campaign over his response to and participation in protests over police brutality.