All articles tagged with #progressive movement
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will decide whether to run for president in 2028 after the midterm elections, weighing factors including her gender, ethnicity, and personal life. She has not ruled out challenging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer or staying in the House, while progressive groups urge her to run. Her campaign is actively supporting Democratic turnout in New York.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced his reelection bid on Sunday, betting that a surge in progressive activism will offset his low approval ratings. He faces a strong field of moderate challengers, including Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who holds a significant financial advantage. Johnson’s campaign emphasizes his record on housing and crime, while critics point to budget battles and low public support.
The Democratic Party’s left wing has gained significant momentum in 2026 primaries, challenging House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to adopt a more progressive agenda. While Jeffries remains the likely speaker if Democrats win the majority in November, tensions are rising over his public rejection of 'Medicare for All' and his handling of foreign policy and campaign support for insurgent candidates. Progressive leaders argue the party must embrace economic populism to win back working-class voters, while centrists worry that radical stances could jeopardize the midterm election. This ideological rift threatens to define the party’s direction for the 2028 cycle.
Progressive candidates are winning Democratic primaries despite significant spending disadvantages, exemplified by Sen. Ed Markey's victory in Massachusetts. While incumbents like Markey and Rep. Stephen Lynch retained their seats, the trend reflects a shift in voter priorities following the 2024 election losses.
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.
Michigan’s August primaries will test whether progressives can translate momentum into swing-state wins: Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate bid could anchor a broader left-wing wave, while the 7th District’s Lawrence and the 13th District’s McKinney challenge incumbents and party leadership, offering a crucial read on Democratic messaging ahead of 2028 and the party’s path to Senate/House control.
Bernie Sanders argued on CBS's Face the Nation that anti-establishment progressives are winning across the country, leaving Rahm Emanuel and the Democratic establishment nervous ahead of the 2026 midterms. He contrasted billionaire-backed incumbents with reform-minded candidates like Zohran Mamdani, criticized the rigged economy and the lack of universal healthcare, and urged voters to demand real change. On Platner, Sanders said he urged him to quit after serious allegations emerged, but he did not push for an earlier exit; Platner ultimately stepped aside. The interview underscored a growing intra-party split and a push for a bolder economic agenda.
After recent upsets in New York, progressives look to Colorado’s 1st District, where Melat Kiros is challenging longtime Rep. Diana DeGette as momentum for a left-wing slate grows; experts warn Colorado’s blue, more moderate landscape may temper the surge, while the race draws national fundraising, debates over Israel policy, and endorsements amid other statewide contests that also test the movement.
Brad Lander is projected to defeat incumbent Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th Congressional District Democratic primary, powered by a progressive coalition led by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and endorsements from Bernie Sanders. Lander campaigned to the left of Goldman, advocating Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, housing expansion, and pausing U.S. aid to Israel, framing Goldman as too moderate. The race, in one of the most Jewish districts, also served as a proxy fight over Israel policy and U.S. support, with Goldman backed by House leadership and AIPAC. Lander’s win signals growing momentum for progressive challengers in New York politics.
State Assemblymember Claire Valdez, backed by the Democratic Socialists of America and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, won the open Brooklyn-Queens 7th District primary to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez, defeating Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso amid intra-progressive tensions and PAC spending debates; Valdez is favored to win the general election against Republican Melvin Rivera.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will introduce Zohran Mamdani at his New Year’s Day inauguration, which will also feature Bernie Sanders administering the oath, highlighting the prominence of the progressive movement in New York City politics.
Zohran Mamdani delivers a passionate speech emphasizing the power of grassroots activism and unity among New Yorkers to fight against inequality, corruption, and authoritarian threats, advocating for progressive policies and a brighter future for the city. He highlights the importance of voting and collective action to challenge the status quo and realize a more just and equitable New York.
President Biden is making strides in winning back progressive, pro-Palestinian voters who had previously criticized his support for Israel, with some activists acknowledging a shift in his stance. Meanwhile, Trump's recent statement on leaving abortion decisions to states has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, but some GOP operatives see it as an opportunity to shape the party's position on the issue. In the Michigan Senate race, former Rep. Mike Rogers, endorsed by Trump, is facing backlash from both MAGA supporters and Never Trumpers, creating a chaotic primary that Michigan Democrats hope will leave the GOP with a damaged nominee. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s independent presidential bid is facing challenges in gaining support from baby boomers, who are paying close attention to the 2024 campaign.
Young progressives in Wisconsin are leading a protest vote campaign in the state's Democratic primary to express opposition to President Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The "uninstructed" movement aims to send a message to the administration, with a focus on garnering 20,000 votes for the uninstructed option. This movement reflects a broader trend of using the uninstructed or uncommitted ballot line as a form of protest in several states. The campaign seeks to pressure Biden and the Democratic Party to change their stance on the war in Gaza, reflecting a generational divide and a shift in public opinion against Israel's actions.
Chicago voters rejected a proposed increase to the city’s transfer tax on high-value properties, which was intended to fund homeless programs. The referendum, supported by progressives but opposed by the real estate industry, aimed to raise transfer taxes on properties selling for over $1 million. The result has raised questions about the strength of the city’s progressive movement and its leader, Mayor Brandon Johnson, in a city where homelessness has become more visible since the pandemic.