PX column: Aftab Pureval says he won't back Nancy Pelosi for Speaker if elected to Congress

Jason Williams | Cincinnati Enquirer

Show Caption Hide Caption 1st Congressional District Race in 30 seconds Here's what you need to know about Steve Chabot and Aftab Pureval in 30 seconds

If the Democrats flip Ohio's 1st Congressional District in November, Nancy Pelosi won't be gaining a new ally from Southwest Ohio.

Cincinnati's Aftab Pureval has joined a growing list of Democratic congressional candidates who are distancing themselves from the House Minority Leader.

"Will I support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker? The answer is 'no,' " Pureval exclusively told Politics Extra on Wednesday. “I’m running for Congress because I genuinely believe we need a new generation of leadership. Washington is broken. It’s toxic, and it’s on both sides."

Pureval, 35, is challenging long-time incumbent Steve Chabot, whose campaign has followed a nationwide GOP message and tried to link his opponent to Pelosi and her "liberal agenda." House Democrats have identified Pureval's race as their top priority in Ohio.

More: Aftab Pureval builds campaign war chest

Pelosi is vying to be the first member of Congress to serve two separate stints as Speaker. First, the Democrats would have to flip control of the House, and they're relying on rising-star candidates such as Pureval to help them do that.

Republicans have been pushing an anti-Pelosi message in the 2018 midterms, an attempt to stave off a potential blue wave amid resistance to President Trump. The GOP is trying to link Democratic candidates to Pelosi, whom Republicans say is an out-of-touch San Francisco elitist.

Minutes after Pureval launched his campaign in January, Chabot attempted to link the former Procter & Gamble lawyer to Pelosi. "Aftab mistakenly thinks he can sell Nancy Pelosi’s liberal agenda to the voters, but they won’t buy it," Chabot campaign spokesman Cody Rizzuto said then.

But Democratic candidates are increasingly trying to distance themselves from the 78-year-old Pelosi, who was Speaker for four years before being succeeded by West Chester Republican John Boehner in 2011.

In January, Pennsylvania Democrat Conor Lamb said he would not support Pelosi if elected to Congress. Lamb, 34, then went out an won a special election in March to grab control of a district long controlled by Republicans.

Pureval and other young, progressive Democratic candidates have followed Lamb in saying their own party is part of the problem in Washington.

"What I’m inspired about is, across the country, you’re seeing people engage in politics for the very first time, particularly young people," Pureval said. "You’re seeing a new generation running for office. We have to give their voices and their ideas an opportunity. In order to do that, we need a new leader for the party."

Politics Extra is a column looking inside Greater Cincinnati and Ohio politics. Follow Enquirer political columnist Jason Williams on Twitter @jwilliamscincy.