In the weeks since Representative Nancy Pelosi’s surprise reelection as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrats have sought to quickly make her likely successor, Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, a boogeyman. The Washington Congresswoman, who represents a moderate district in southwest Washington, is being painted as an out-of-touch conservative by the party faithful, and Nancy Pelosi using her powerful Speaker perch to ensure she never holds better one. Representative Herrera Beutler has been the target of extensive attacks from both progressive and establishment Democrats, and the Speaker-in-waiting has been lambasted for past stances on issues that range from abortion to immigration. Such efforts to paint the Washington representative in a negative light reflects the internal divisions within the Democratic Party, as factions vying for control in the post-Pelosi era engage in a war of perception.
Democrats quickly seek to make Speaker Johnson a boogeyman
