Rival paths emerge to carry Bernie Sanders’ progressive mantle

Progressives are jockeying to succeed Bernie Sanders, with AOC viewed by some as the heir and Ro Khanna pushing a broader, national-building path. In Michigan’s high-stakes Democratic Senate primary, Sanders- and Khanna-backed Abdul El-Sayed faces Haley Stevens, while AOC has campaigned for El-Sayed alongside Sanders and features in his ads. The debate centers on strategy: AOC’s selective, star-powered endorsements versus Khanna’s expansive grassroots approach, signaling competing visions for the movement’s future and potential 2028 dynamics.