Mondaire Jones is on the brink of making history. He is in line to become one of the first Black gay men to serve in the US Congress after winning the Democratic primary for New York’s 17th congressional district in June—part of a new class of diverse candidates upending expectations and tapping into a fervour for outspoken progressivism championed by the likes of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. His policy positions mark him out as part of an influential insurgent Left—making the New York Congressional candidate a darling among grassroots activists—but along with the Working Families Party, he also scored endorsements from liberal mainstays like former President Barack Obama to the New York Times. He’s pro-Green New Deal. He opposes all new fossil fuel infrastructure. He supports Medicare for All and a $15 minimum wage. On today’s episode of the Mother Jones Podcast, Jones tells host Jamilah King what it was like to campaign during the coronavirus crisis, how growing up poor and Black influenced his progressive policy positions, and why running a historic race can feel surprisingly lonely. Alongside Ritchie Torres, an Afro-Latino gay man who won his primary race in New York’s 15th congressional district, Jones stands ready to join the increasingly diverse members of Congress that represent an insurgent left-wing of the Democratic party on Capitol Hill.

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