Outgoing Tennessee Democrat congressman says party ‘facing extinction’ in his state, relying on ‘blind hope’

Outgoing Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee sat down for an interview with an area newspaper on Tuesday to present his ideas on upcoming elections and the way forward for the Democratic Occasion in his state.

Cooper’s predictions have been removed from optimistic, as he stated that the occasion is “dealing with extinction” in Tennessee and claimed that Democrats don’t have any technique to attraction to rural voters.

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“As normal, Democrats aren’t alert to future risks,” Cooper lamented to the Nashville Scene. “The most important hazard we face in an off-year election after we gained the White Home is the 100-year development towards the opposite occasion. Redistricting is small potatoes in comparison with that historic development.”

Requested if he believed the Democrats would show aggressive in the long run, Cooper stated that he hopes so, however “hope just isn’t a method.” Cooper criticized the administration of the occasion in his state, and instructed the Scene that the Democrats in Tennessee wanted a brand new route.

“Their technique is blind hope,” Cooper stated. “Lots of the people you’re most likely listening to have most likely by no means visited these counties. They’re not kin to those people. Their greatest pals don’t reside on the market. I had the benefit of being born in Nashville however raised in Shelbyville.”

Cooper insisted that whereas he’s retiring from workplace on the finish of his time period, he doesn’t plan to cease working. He expressed curiosity in aiding the occasion if doable, however stated he’s extra centered on his personal endeavors.

“I at all times wish to be out there and useful, however I plan on getting a job and being a productive citizen. It might probably’t be handed to you. You’ve received to review it and work at it and be good at it. After which we will placed on some ending touches. There are a lot of individuals as we speak who need these things handed to them, and life doesn’t work like that,” Cooper stated. “It’s necessary to earn a living. It’s necessary to be productive. It’s necessary to pay taxes. Work organizes life. I plan on working till the day I die, as a result of work is enjoyable, work is fascinating, work is necessary.”

“It’s necessary to be in communication together with your constituents, to not be their boss. You’re their consultant. We’ve received to get this formulation proper. The Democratic Occasion in Tennessee is mainly dealing with extinction. We’ve been on an extended downhill slide for a very long time. Tennessee has fewer statewide elected workplaces than I feel another state, and now the one path upward will likely be via Memphis, which isn’t almost as profitable as Nashville. That matches Republican technique very nicely. Their intent is to ghettoize the state Democratic Occasion.”

Cooper has clashed repeatedly with extra progressive and left-wing Democrats. In reality, some throughout the occasion have tried to take away him from workplace with a substitute of their very own.

Odessa Kelly, a progressive candidate backed by Justice Democrats, sought to defeat Cooper in 2020. She boasted endorsements from key Democrats, however had a historical past of inflammatory social media posts, together with requires violence towards Republican lawmakers.

Kelly, whereas staging the first problem towards Cooper, went on Fb the day of President Biden’s inauguration and posted an inventory of advised agenda gadgets for the brand new administration’s first 100 days.

 The agenda included customary Democratic needs for stimulus checks, packing the Supreme Court docket and scholar mortgage forgiveness, in addition to jokes about attacking GOP leaders.

“Day 9: Permit Pelosi to rent the perfect pimp that Memphis or Detroit has to supply to Smack tha [emoji] outta Ted Cruz and the remainder uv’em…(y’all know those)!” she wrote.