Unfortunately for those who would prefer Pelosi’s modes of politics, the conflict is not confined to Congress. It is also playing out in the Democratic presidential campaign, where Ocasio-Cortez’s politics likely have the advantage…

In short, Pelosi has a gatekeeping power over the progressive caucus, while Biden is at the mercy of gatekeepers who prefer candidates aping the Ocasio-Cortez brand of identitarian socialist populism. The unanswered question is whether the media environment will also help convince the Democrats’ silent majority that they are in fact a minority.

The outcome of presidential primaries may greatly influence the feud in Congress, perhaps settling it outright. Once Democratic voters have chosen a standard-bearer, they will largely close ranks around that nominee. Such is the lesson of Trump’s ascendancy in 2016. Party elites ultimately acquiesce to their voters, recognizing they must hang together lest they hang separately.