Democrats just won a historic midterm victory, and already the bickering has started. Is this a victory that gives leftist outsiders a progressive mandate? Do margins of victory prove that actually moderation was the way? Were voters casting their ballots for Democrats or against Donald Trump and the Republicans? Do voters want pocketbook policy change, or do they want to see justice done and even revenge exacted?
The Blue Tsunami swept in a big Democratic tent, and that’s a good thing, even if that was a very bad metaphor. Leftist DSA candidates are in the tent. Conservative Blue Dogs are in it. A whole lot of Millennial candidates are in it. It is easy — especially on the broader left, which seems to often relish in infighting more than coalition-building — to use this moment as a chance to confirm one’s priors or one’s big theories of the electorate, no matter how thin or unproven (voters will back Dems if those Dems are moderates who shy away from quote-unquote “social issues” / voters who are disengaged will turn out in droves if only we give them Bernie-style economic populism / only leftists excite new voters / moderates always outperform progressives / and so on).
The left really is in the midst of an upheaval, between ascendant Millennials and the related ascent of the DSA and populist movements, as well as the hangover from Woke 1 and the on-their-back-foot (until now?) movements for racial justice, gender equality, and trans rights. It is easy to get stuck on the differences. But one of the most exciting things about this moment is just how much Democrats and the broader left agree on, and what that might mean for making a political difference and potentially securing the White House in 2028 — that is, if we can collectively get it together and spend the next few years working where we generally agree, and putting the more divisive debates off for a time when our power is more secure.
First, a note on how we got here: The broader Democratic Party is more progressive than at just about any other time in history, on both economic policy and social policy. It is not as progressive as, say, the DSA or your average 25-year-old in a deep-blue coastal district. But the party overall has moved significantly to the left, on everything from abortion to LGBT rights to healthcare to foreign policy. The moves have been so significant that terms like “moderate” and “progressive” are becoming less meaningful. Take the Texas Democratic primary, for example (and sorry for the reminder): Between James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett, who was the more moderate candidate? Who was the more progressive? The differences were less about policy and more about theories of power, tones of the campaigns, and different ideas about what voters wanted from their representatives.
Abortion rights are now a staple part of Democratic campaigning, and pro-choice Democrats won in some of the country’s most anti-abortion states; in others, a handful of Democrats ran as personally pro-life but against strict abortion bans, which is obviously not my ideal, but is a helluva lot better than the reality a year ago. There is some Democratic in-fighting over trans girls and women in sports, a fairly fringe issue, and one that masks a universal party-wide agreement that when it comes to housing, employment, healthcare, and so on, trans people should be able to live with dignity and free from discrimination — a total agreement that anti-discrimination laws should apply to trans people, which was not the case even a few cycles ago. Just a few years ago, Medicare for All was the ground staked out by the far left, and treated as politically toxic by the vast Democratic middle; now it’s broadly popular among Democratic voters and supported by large numbers of Democrats in Congress. Arguments about US policy toward Israel and Palestine get a lot of press and debates about genocide and antisemitism occupy a lot of the discourse on the left, but that also obscures the fact that, for the first time in my four decades on this planet, there is a critical mass of Democrats in Congress who prioritize the rights of Palestinians and argue against giving military aid to Israel. There are many Democrats whose views on Israel and Palestine are thoughtful, nuanced, and well-articulated. I don’t agree with all of these Democrats, but it is, in my view, an indisputable good that these debates are happening (even if I’d like to see the terms of them operating a bit differently). It is an indisputable good that the moderate Democratic position is now highly critical of Israel’s right-wing government, against the settlements, skeptical of offensive weapons funding, and supportive of Palestinian human rights, self-determination, and statehood.
Second, a note on who “won” the midterms: Democrats. Yes, it is useful for political scientists and pollsters to look at who had better margins. Yes, it does seem to be true that moderates outperformed; many of the farthest-left candidates won but with slimmer margins than would have been expected given the make-up of their states, and others lost, while the red states where Democrats triumphed were to a one won by Dems who were not affiliated with the DSA and who ran as political moderates aiming to bring people back together. It’s also true that some of the progressive candidates did not get adequate support from the party (Angie Nixon in Florida) or did get significant support but weathered extremely ugly and bigoted opposition campaigns (Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan) or were running against truly formidable candidates (Troy Jackson). But here’s the thing with a big tent: It needs to expand out in all directions. That means yes, run Democrats who are far too conservative for my tastes in Kansas. And in states that are solidly blue or even a bluer shade of purple, give progressives a chance — and definitely give chances to candidates who are simply charismatic, politically talented, and compelling. Recognize, finally, that if Democrats are going to ascend to office thanks to the votes of the young (and they did), then Democrats are going to wind up a more liberal national party — because that’s where younger voters are.
So: Democrats won. Leftists won. Progressives won. Moderates won. Conservative Democrats won. We won! How should Democrats govern?
Fight Trump’s war in Iran.
