Former FBI Director and Trump critic James Comey is being blasted from all sides for calling on Democrat voters to reject progressive candidates and embrace “sensible, balanced” mainstream suit-and-tie politicians.

“Democrats, please, please don’t lose your minds and rush to the socialist left,” Comey implored in a tweet on Sunday. “This president and his Republican Party are counting on you to do exactly that. America’s great middle wants sensible, balanced, ethical leadership.”

Democrats, please, please don’t lose your minds and rush to the socialist left. This president and his Republican Party are counting on you to do exactly that. America’s great middle wants sensible, balanced, ethical leadership. — James Comey (@Comey) July 22, 2018

Days beforehand, Comey, a registered Republican for most of his adult life, called for a ‘blue wave’ to sweep Republicans from power in November’s midterm elections. “This Republican Congress,” he wrote, “has proven incapable of fulfilling the Founders’ design.”

Comey has become a figurehead of the anti-Trump #resistance since Trump fired him unceremoniously last May for his botched handling of the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s unauthorized email server use. However, before he shifted his ire to Trump, many Democrats blamed Comey’s announcement that the agency was reopening the Clinton investigation - one week before the 2016 election - for Clinton’s loss.

Still bitter about 2016, some critics on Twitter didn’t let the former agency head forget their beef.

I guess, in a way, James Comey is an expert authority when it comes to getting Trump elected. https://t.co/bmTdenIyqa — Host of the Katie Halper Show (@kthalps) July 23, 2018

Dear @Comey:In regards to you giving advice to Democrats on what we should be or not be doing.Did you forget the role you played in 2016? pic.twitter.com/OLbqLhs4cv — Karine Jean-Pierre (@K_JeanPierre) July 23, 2018

For what it’s worth, James Comey is technically an expert at fucking up elections. https://t.co/pWJ05YNFiP — Sean Kent (@seankent) July 23, 2018

Hey Jim, we got this covered. No one is asking for your advice. As we saw during the campaign, your judgment isn’t great! All the best, everyone. — Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) July 22, 2018

While Comey’s Sunday tweet did not explicitly mention any names, the shocking primary victory of 28-year-old ‘democratic socialist’ Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York in June has been perhaps the clearest indication yet that Democrats are embracing the party of Bernie Sanders rather than the party of Hillary Clinton. Campaigning on a platform of Medicare for all, free university tuition, gun control and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Ocasio-Cortez ousted her 10-term incumbent, Rep. Joe Crowley.

To some Twitter observers, Comey’s tweet is the last gasp of a dying form of Democrat politics, one that was beaten in the 2016 election, and now looks out of step with the demands of young progressives.

What is James Comey talking about. Centrist corporate Democrats led by @DWStweets lost House & Senate in 2010 & 2014, then gave us Donald Trump. 107 million Americans who could have voted did not vote in 2016. How are progressives to blame for any of the Democrats’ meltdown? https://t.co/r12V6MWWxZ — Tim Canova (@Tim_Canova) July 23, 2018

After working at a hedge fund Lockheed Martin, James Comey has a net worth of $15 million. What is it with rich people wanting to deny the rest of us access to education and healthcare and other basic things developed countries provide their citizens? https://t.co/fwvv9ZA4qPhttps://t.co/1YEaRo62TN — Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) July 23, 2018

I admit it is amusing that they bring James Comey out because the elite centrists are in fear of losing their power over the commoners. They are finally figuring out their are more of us, the commoners, then there are of them, the elites. We the people have the power. — Tobosbunny the Ocasio bro 🌹🐰 (@tobosbunny) July 23, 2018

Since the 2016 election, which saw the Democrats lose the House, the Senate, and the presidency, several 2020 hopefuls have embraced far left positions to court progressive voters.

Surfing the wave of outrage over the Trump administration’s ‘zero-tolerance’ immigration policy, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Kamala Harris (D-California) have both called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) has dodged the question in TV interviews. All three have been tipped for a presidential run in 2020, as well as Independent Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont), the godfather of the progressive movement.

Comey’s warning that a swing leftwards would play into Republicans’ hands is not an empty one either. The GOP has crafted an election message out of Democrats’ militant excesses, releasing a campaign video last month portraying the Democratic party as the party of violent protest and “extremist ideas.”

Whatever its worth, Comey’s advice is falling on deaf ears within the Democratic party. “Last time you practiced politics it resulted in a fiasco of epic proportions,” tweeted Ronald Klain, former Chief of Staff to Vice President Joe Biden. “Don’t think we need any more political advice from you.”

Last time you practiced politics it resulted in a fiasco of historic proportions. Don’t think we need any more political advice from you. https://t.co/iV9dUihxZ6 — Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) July 22, 2018

I'm as likely to take political advice from James Comey as I am to wash my face with turpentine and dry it with a cheese grater. — Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) July 23, 2018

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