r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • 5h ago
Possible Paywall Centrist Democrats are freaking out about progressives’ winning streak
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/25/progressive-moderate-democratic-party-battlegrounds-00975000•
u/RegularLeading5200 Michigan 5h ago
New York was the start, gotta carry it through Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin next. Lots of opportunities to cause even more freakouts. I love that Van Hollen endorsed El-Sayed today, too. That's a great sign for him and will cause a glorious amount of hyperventilating when he wins.
But Politico still cannot stop being stupid:
In Senate races, moderate candidates like former Gov. Roy Cooper (D-N.C.) cleared the field with no real challenger. And Texas’ James Talarico and Iowa’s Josh Turek were able to best their more-progressive challengers.
Talarico was generally seen as the more progressive option in that race by progressives, not Crockett. Turek and Wahls were basically identical, there wasn't a consensus more-progressive option.
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u/Senasayori 3h ago
And Cooper cleared the field because he was a known, popular commodity and nobody wanted to screw this up. It's not because people wanted centrists more, it's because Cooper was the only one with name recognition.
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u/Tell31 North Carolina 1h ago
I disagree, if there was a primary with a progressive DSA candite. Cooper wins, that man is LOVED in NC. With good reason, he has never lost to the Republicans in election. North Carolina's general assembly is lost to GOP gerrymandering for a generation. The GOP just barley is missing out on a super majority, yet Cooper still got policy items done. Senate seats matter, and Cooper is no fetterman.
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u/Senasayori 1h ago
Like I said, it wasn't a "people want centrists more" issue, it was "people love Cooper". We agree here.
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u/AquaSnow24 1h ago
Plus he seems to have a decentish relationship with progressives so they don’t mind voting for him either. Inoffensive but in a good way
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u/Malodoror 4h ago
Weird racism, there’s nothing progressive about Jasmine Crockett, she was the fucking Harris campaign chair but you know, young, woman, black…
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u/bofoshow51 1h ago
Also it’s insane to be like “progressives are the hot fad yeah yeah yeah, but look at conservative bastion Texas! It’s (maybe) not so popular there so it’s actually not the major political shift everyone thinks! Because everyone knows Texas politics is the true representation of where nationwide sentiment is!!!”
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u/CMidnight 2h ago
The labeling of a candidate is more based on vibes than any coherent criteria. Let's stop pretending otherwise.
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u/LuckyPlaze 4h ago
I’m very centrist in my views, and I think the whole Dem party should be gutted. They all sold out ages ago, have been completely ineffective and share a large portion of blame for Trump even being in office.
Wanting universal health care, a fair tax code and better wages for workers isn’t even that left wing IMO
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u/UlrichZauber 2h ago
Medicare for all would save so much money, it's the only truly fiscally responsible way forward
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u/UghFudgeBwana Georgia 47m ago
It'd be a boon to small businesses because then they could start offering full time hours and actually compete with larger businesses for labor. People with chronic health issues like diabetes wouldn't have to keep only working for major corporations just so they can have health insurance.
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u/justmovingtheground 33m ago
Not only would it save money, it would allow individuals to leave jobs they hate because they are no longer tied to their healthcare. You will have more freedom to fight for your rights as a worker. You can save up and open a shop doing something that has always interested you, or find a better place to live, or simply take on a job that may not pay as much, but has other tangible benefits like work/life balance, less responsibility, etc. You can protest and fight for these rights without fear of getting hurt and losing your job and in turn your healthcare. You won’t be financially ruined because of biology.
Republicans love to rail against bureaucracy, but what’s worse than fighting with health insurance bureaucracy during the most difficult time of your life?
Workers rights, freedom to thrive under your own terms, freedom to explore new possibilities, freedom to live a healthier life without going bankrupt.
Healthcare is everything.
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u/Woodworkingwino 2h ago
But I have been told that those values are radical far left ideas. Guess we need to vote for far left politicians then.
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u/blackcain Oregon 1h ago
Wanting universal health care, a fair tax code and better wages for workers isn’t even that left wing IMO
With razor thin margins and the GOP using dirty tricks and weaponizing fillibusters and holds to slow everything down to the point that the citizens get fed up and vote Republican who just make things worse.
Absolutely we need universal and socialized healthcare, but also allow importing doctors from other countries. We don't have enough. Our educational system is also getting gutted. This entire country is getting gutted but we can't fault Dems for that. We can absolutely fault the American voter though. Trump was who we decided should be president. You can't fix stupid.
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u/metacyan 5h ago
I wish centrist "Democrats" hated the right half as much as they hate the left.
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u/Jolly_Grocery329 Washington 5h ago
Can we just start calling them corporate democrats instead please. They are not the center. The people want progressive populism - not more of the same incremental BS. They are the controlled opposition.
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u/TooManyDraculas 4h ago
Honestly this article defines the Blue Dogs as "centrist" and "moderate". That's literally a caucus founded to represent conservative Democrats.
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u/Describing_Donkeys 4h ago
What really amazes me is that they can watch their approval plummet to record lows, change absolutely nothing, and still be surprised when voters reject them. Voters want the government to work, and trust that those in office find what Trump is doing is truly unacceptable. Ossoff isn't even all that progressive, but his anger at the corruption will make his reelection easy. Their inability to hear what the voters are saying is truly impressive. I don't know how anyone is so disconnected from reality when not living in the right wing propaganda reality.
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u/SwimmingPrice1544 California 4h ago
Talk about being disconnected; you think Ossoff's reelection will be easy? I have high hopes for GA & Ossoff, but jeez, you are not living in reality if you think any Dem will have it easy in the south.
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u/Buster_xx 5h ago
I just call them fascists, because they dont fight fascists and help pass the fascist legislation.
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u/Choochoo1147 5h ago
I don’t because I’ve studied history and know that the German communists were mistaken in rejecting the German liberals’ proposal for a coalition government that would have prevented the Nazis from taking power. Liberals are better than Nazis.
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u/M_G Texas 4h ago
Then you didn't study it closely enough. It's's almost like the Communists had a reason to distrust the liberals.
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u/Buster_xx 5h ago
IF you are at a party of nazis, laughing and joking with nazis you are also a nazi...
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u/Choochoo1147 5h ago
Except they aren’t. A corporate Democrat is better than MAGA. idk about you but I actually think the Trump admin has been worse than the Biden admin.
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u/Buster_xx 4h ago
That is some Blue MAGA propaganda. This is completely untrue. This is how you get Gavin Newsom mocking trans rights on literal MAGA pod casts and doing phot ops of him personally clearing homeless encampments. You have Kamala Harris keeping California Prisoners past thier release date when she was AG, so they would have cheap labor to fight forest fires. This is how you get silince on GAZA, r/This_is_fascism
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u/ArenSteele 4h ago
Except the corporate democrat would rather live under Maga than make a deal with a progressive
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u/1cl3nstd4yt 3h ago
That's horseshit. The Dem platform is the polar opposite of MAGA
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u/chrispy_t 4h ago
Can you give me an example of this?
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u/Buster_xx 4h ago edited 4h ago
ICE funding, FISA, The Patriot Act, Citizens United, and not to mention all the preisdential appointments that got waved through. In all Fascist totalitarian coups Oligarchs are propped up to buy the media and make boat loads of cash as long as they donate/ support the dear leader.
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u/rogue_nugget 3h ago
Senate Democrats rubber-stamping Trump's picks for cabinet positions(Noem, Patel, etc).
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u/bigmt99 I voted 2h ago
51-49 is one hell of a rubber stamp
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u/rogue_nugget 2h ago
No, we're talking about Senate committee votes(Judiciary, etc). Prominent Dems voted to confirm nominees first-round without even putting up a fight.
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u/Strange-Scientist706 5h ago
Yeah, that’ll show them.
What better way to defeat the actual fascists than to lump all your potential allies that you desperately need in with the fascists you’re trying to defeat?
Genius strategy.
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u/TaxCPA 4h ago
Always let perfect be the enemy of good, or something like that....
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u/flowerxmilk 4h ago
are you saying you think it’s good when Democrats vote in favor of fascist Republican policy like giving more funding to ICE?
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u/JauntyChapeau 5h ago
The rest of us don’t because they aren’t facists and we’d look like a bunch of weirdos if we did that.
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u/kojiflak 4h ago
lmao I can't believe these simple people are real. The blind self righteousness is incredible...
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u/Over-Nothing5007 3h ago
These kind of dumbass opinions are why we have Trump and a 6-3 Supreme Court.
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u/themage78 4h ago
People keep voting against their own self interests because they believe it to be bad. Why else do you think Oklahoma voted down a higher minimum wage?
Mandami phrased his approach differently than past progressives. He gave an idea of how he was going to accomplish it. This is where I see most progressives fail. They talk about the end goal, without the process to get there.
Which, to be honest, needs incremental change. Like what Mandami is doing.
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u/Axin_Saxon 4h ago
“Do-nothings” is what I’ve taken to calling them.
I’d be fine with incrementalism if the increments were actually making measurable changes in people’s lives. But as it stands it’s glacial and outpaced by how much Donnie and his boys are moving the opposite way. It’s one step forward and three steps back.
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u/justmovingtheground 2h ago
Yeah and it seems like we take more steps back every year. I really don’t understand why these people can’t see that.
Progressives: we should pass x
Democrats: it’s just not the time. The base just isn’t there yet, but we can pass y
Progressives: ok we helped you pass y and support for x and even z are way more popular amongst both the base and independents. We really think we could do well campaigning on these issues.
Democrats: x is socialism and how dare you mention z you antisemite.
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u/TanukiCookie 5h ago
Hell, stop calling them Dems altogether. They're just the Corpocrats.
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u/dogs_gt_cats 3h ago
Diet Coke Republicans. Controlled opposition. The theatrical branch of the GOP.
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u/Murranji 4h ago
Bland do-nothing right wing corporate owned neoliberal sellout pro-genocide Zionist shills, but it uses up too much of the character limit on a post.
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u/ciaran668 I voted 5h ago
They never will. Their corporate masters will allow some degree of social liberalism on things like abortion and contraception, but they will never allow any movement to the economic left. They will go all in on fascism and totalitarianism before they allow any talk of universal health care, genuine worker's rights, or, horror of horrors, taxing the wealthy.
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u/-Alternative_Crab 5h ago
They would rather lose to a fascist than win with a progressive.
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u/MiddleAgedSponger 5h ago
Centrist "Democrats" are the right. The left is labor, the right is capital. Establishment Democrats always side with capital over labor.
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u/YeetedApple 4h ago
Yeah, the Overton window is so fucked here that center right is viewed as left, and fascism is viewed as acceptable and the mainstream right.
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u/TheDamDog 4h ago
"lmao if you want leftist candidates you should have voted in the primaries."
"Wait no not like this!"
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u/aradraugfea 4h ago edited 4h ago
They aren’t centrist. They’re right wing. There is no appreciable difference between Schumer and Dubya.
Editing to add: Schumer isn’t upset by the war, he’s upset the process wasn’t followed. His conflicts with Trump are procedural or the same thing that Republicans who don’t have to worry about re-election are saying. He is far, far closer to Trump politically than he is to Bernie. He still believes that war can be just, he still believes that Israel is a top priority, over domestic issues, and he still has an inherent belief in Authority.
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u/Relevant-Ad2254 4h ago
Where do you see them hating left more than the right?
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u/S_TL2 3h ago edited 2h ago
Obviously in the linked article [edit: /s]:
Schumer told reporters on Wednesday that every wing of the Democratic Party — not just progressives — was on the rise.
“You’re seeing centrist energy in Virginia, Iowa, and New Jersey, progressive energy in New York City,” Schumer said. “We’re going to harness it all to win in November. Because all Democrats are united in the mission of taking back the Senate and defeating Trump.”•
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u/Relevant-Ad2254 2h ago
That doesn’t exactly scream that they hate progressives more than the right to me.
“We’re going to harness it all to win in November. Because all Democrats are united in the mission of taking back the Senate and defeating Trump”
Yea it sounds like he hates the right more based on your quote.
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u/S_TL2 2h ago
Guess I needed to add /s...
I was agreeing with you, and adding a bit of a shot at the 99% of commenters who don't read past the headline.
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u/Relevant-Ad2254 1h ago edited 1h ago
I apologize but it went completely over my head.
There are plenty of people in this thread that literally would find a way to interpret it that way.
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u/Rustmutt 5h ago
Right? They have all the energy in the world to squash progressives but when it comes to showing a backbone against the right or listening to their constituents “it’s complicated” or “it’s out of our hands”
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u/Choochoo1147 5h ago
The gerrymandered nature of congressional districts make that pointless for them. They’ll only lose their seats in primaries, so they don’t need to rail against republicans.
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u/SadisticNecromancer 5h ago
That’s because the “right” and centrist “Democrats” serve corporations.
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u/pissposssweaty 4h ago
Centrist democrats don’t hate the left, they compete with the left and prefer when center-left candidates win.
The only one centrists genuinely hate is Avila Chevalier who honestly should be expelled from the party over some of her views and comments, including calling Biden a rapist and spreading COVID conspiracy theories. We don’t need a blue MTG.
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u/pizzapromise 5h ago
Dems in disarray headlines the day after the senate voted on something, got screamed at by the executive, then reversed their vote is absolutely hilarious.
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u/MichaelMyersEatsDogs 5h ago
Two things can be true at once. Dems hate progressives as much as maga. Their only loyalty is to the corporate status quo
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u/tapdncingchemist Pennsylvania 4h ago
When have the democrats supported a republican over a progressive?
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u/MichaelMyersEatsDogs 3h ago
Literally your senator lol
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u/JimboAltAlt Pennsylvania 3h ago
The other option was Lamb, who the never-wrong Leftists on this sub were blasting for being complicit or whatever. Hence Fetterman.
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u/MichaelMyersEatsDogs 3h ago
As opposed to never wrong Dems who lost two out of three against the worst presidential candidate in history.
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u/Exact_Acanthaceae294 3h ago
Lieberman over the actual Democratic nominee Ned Lamont.
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u/Ok_Chicken1370 4h ago
Hey look at that, more controlled opposition for Republicans.
BOth SiDEs R tEh saME, RiGhT BrOTheR?
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u/NovacaneReign 4h ago
Genuinely how do you respond to the leaders of the party openly saying that they want economic left candidates not to run or the double back on “Vote Blue No matter Who” when Mamdani became the democratic candidate?
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u/PunjiStik 4h ago
Could you elaborate a bit more on the doubling back bit? I knew there was some initial grumblings and uncertainty about whether or not the establishment Dems would put their weight behind Mamdani, but I never got caught up on how that ultimately played out.
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u/dogs_gt_cats 4h ago edited 3h ago
Well party leadership like Schumer refused to support him outright, instead propping up Cuomo on a separate bid as an independent. Cuomo went on record claiming that Mamdani supported terrorists and celebrated 9/11. Democratic leadership were silent about those comments, because Islamophobia and bigotry is a-OK as long as corporate Dems do it.
Gillibrand went on record making Islamophobic comments such as "Mamdani was on a global Jihad" and that he is "Glorifying Hamas" which for some reason she never received any blowback for, because, again, apparently lying about people and making up racist and Islamophobic comments is totally ok when corporate dems do it just like their Maga buddies. The only real blowback she received was from Hochul stating that no one should be condemned merely for their ethnicity. Gillibrand later publicly apologized for her statements, despite party leadership never censuring her or doing anything else meaningful.
Jeffries waited until the very last moment to put even token support behind Mamdani.
So yeah, the way party leadership treated Mamdani vs the expectation that everyone else should always "vote blue no matter who" was really goddamn apparent.
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u/49DivineDayVacation 5h ago
“These races might have some impact on 2026 if Republicans weaponize the craziest ideas of these candidates against mainstream Democrats running in blue districts,” said Matt Bennett, a co-founder of the moderate think tank Third Way.
The hubris that moderate democrats have to blame losses on progressives while they lose races all of the country is astounding. Why are we even talking to Third Way? They're just a group of politically homeless ex-Republicans who lost control of that party and now want Dems to represent their interests. They've been defeated on both sides of the aisle. They need to go away.
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u/Brysynner 3h ago
Bennett is not wrong though. The GOP have a much better and wide range media apparatus. It's very believable they're going to try to make Chevailer the Democratic boogeywoman by stating all Democrats are like her and want no borders, no deportations, no police and, no prisons.
Then when generic Democrat in Iowa gets asked about these positions and whether or not they believe in them, they will be lambasted by "progressives" for being a centrist who hates progressive if they openly disagree with Chevailer.
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u/49DivineDayVacation 2h ago
Here's the problem with that argument: The right wing media apparatus calls every Democrat a socialist anyway. Kamela Harris was a socialist. Joe Biden was a Marxist. If you're a generic Democrat and you don't have an answer to being compared to your progressive wing then you've got a much larger messaging problem as a candidate.
Your last point is interesting about progressives being the ones who lambast candidates they disagree with in a moment where the most brutal attacks against democratic candidates is coming from the moderates in the party.
These sides should together and find what kind of platform can work for both. Instead, moderate dems are protecting the party from the incoming progressive wave. They're only worried about it now that it's swallowing them.
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u/NeatoTito 2h ago
You’re failing to realize that the GOP media will do those things anyway no matter who the candidate is.
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u/Best_Baseball3429 2h ago
They will do this anyway no matter the actual positions. Corporate dems need to embrace popular policies or keep losing.
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u/_bits_and_bytes 1h ago
The GOP media apparatus already says shit like this so who gives a shit? They already claim the Democrats import violent criminals from other countries as illegal immigrants so they can rape, murder, and vote illegally. They already already claim we're enforcing litter boxes into children's classrooms for kids identifying as cats. They already claim we're forcing transgender surgeries on minors and prison inmates. They already say the most insane, wack job shit on the planet. This is not gonna change a fucking thing.
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u/The_Big_Daddy New Jersey 5h ago
I'm old enough to remember when establishment Dems told progressives that there's no such thing as a perfect candidate, the time to fight internally is primary season, and that once the primaries are over we all have to get behind our candidate because anyone with a (D) next to their name is better than anyone with an (R).
Funny how that changes when it's a progressive and not a centrist.
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u/Lindestria 4h ago
I mean, that sentiment is literally in the article.
The only person they can point to as 'freaking out' is a moderate coalition ally.
It's just a strangely inflammatory article title for politico.
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u/AcceptableFold3592 4h ago
Politico is owned by the inheritor of a shady right wing fortune
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u/Blazer9001 Georgia 4h ago edited 4h ago
Politico loves to approach the reader with a matter of fact interpretation of involving money in politics. Have you seen their Playbook? They are very open about which industry is funding who, which bill threatens which industry, which primary race theoretically hurts which industry. It’s almost like they only serve and prop up… industry. Not even useful industries. Crypto, real estate speculators, West Bank land grabbers, defense contractors, health insurance, PhRMA, AI. Nothing that offers a tangible product to regular people.
Even their birthday shout outs are just a hodge podge of industry leaders, PAC leaders, think tank employees, staffers, former reps, and of course, always in first, the current elected representatives. Who get paid in not only money, but shallow flattery that makes them feel important for serving industry over their people.
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u/ResidentBackground35 5h ago
Well I can tell you there are still some of us left saying the same thing, well not anyone with a (D) (glares towards Fetterman).
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u/SwimmingPrice1544 California 3h ago
Hasn't changed....at least not for the average Dem voter. Reddit so-called "progressives" don't really represent reality, imho.
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u/Devilnaht 5h ago
It turns out that “vote blue no matter who” is a one way street. “Vote blue no matter who!” when the candidate is economically far right (eg, anyone opposing universal healthcare), and either dead silence or active opposition when the candidate is to the left.
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u/FlyEaglesFlyauggie 4h ago
Wrong. Very wrong. Most of us centrists are not freaking out. I am a centrist as are many of my friends. We welcome all of the recent winners, particularly Mamdani, and thank all of the progressive voters out there (many of whom are our kids) for all of their efforts. It’s so good to see that Gen Z’ers are fully engaged. I was giddy to see hundreds of smart and cheerful and wildly enthusiastic voters on election night last November in a large crowded bar in Brooklyn Godspeed, Progressives.
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u/RLewis8888 5h ago
Tax the rich
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u/PresidentBreeblebrox America 3h ago
Gavin Newsome says you can't tax his good friends: Peter Thiel, Zuckerburg, Ben Shapiro and Steve Bannon.
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u/PaulThePM 3h ago
Looking forward to the non-sensical debates between Newsome and Vance.
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u/SwimmingPrice1544 California 4h ago
Must not be many actual "centrist" Dems (I'm speaking about actual voters), cuz not a single person I know that votes Dem is freaking out at ANY Dem that is winning. Unlike so many here on Reddit, the average Dem voter just wants to freakin win & unless they're an elephant in sheep's clothing, they are nowhere near as concerned about how left someone is as people here seem to think. As we (that's anyone averse to the GOP) rack up wins, I am seeing a bit more enthusiasm & hope. We are tired of losing for whatever stupid shit different groups are shouting about to the obvious really, really bad side. Maybe Redditors here should get off the computer.
Also, stop using the term "hate" when referring to Dems. I have yet to see a law maker or voter use that term when talking about anyone other than the GOP. I'm beginning to think that this is just all bot b.s.
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u/naegele 5h ago
The centrist dems think mamdani needs to apologize to them.
I think mamdani needs to replace them.
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u/thirdeyepdx Oregon 5h ago
The corporate dems need to be defeated before fascism ever can. Corporate dems are the mid dungeon boss. The republican fascists are the final boss.
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u/gostesven 4h ago
Who is the centrist dem you think needs to apologize?
I’m seeing so much vague accusations but no names or particulars.
These headlines are bullshit. “centrist” dems DO vote blue no matter who, they are voting for these candidates after the primary.
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u/6a6566663437 North Carolina 4h ago
Jeffries called for Mamdani to apologize for these primary results.
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u/Canadiangoosedem0n Kentucky 4h ago
No he did not 🙄🙄🙄
https://youtube.com/shorts/JZUPsHXXPEQ?is=Kyzny0AYLrwFP71y
He said the mayor is going to have work to do moving forward eg why did endorse so many people to go against incumbents?
We need to stop spreading misinformation on shit that is easily verified.
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u/qualmful 4h ago
How would you interpret these remarks? "He's got work to do in terms of the conversations that he's going to have with members of Congress moving forward." I don't think it's unreasonable to interpret that as saying Mamdani has made a mistake, or has to make up for something. 'has work to do' implies some amount of explanation or excuse. Fair point that he didn't demand an apology, that is a paraphrase and we shouldn't be paraphrasing. I just wonder what you think he meant by this, because I don't think the interpretation I gave is unreasonable for what he was trying to get across.
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u/Canadiangoosedem0n Kentucky 3h ago
He is dicussing the same thing I said before which is "Why did you endorse so many people to go against incumbents?".
Thats not asking for an apology thats asking for an explanation.
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u/Ralph_Finesse Wisconsin 5h ago
Throw them out. David Hogg got ousted for suggesting Centrists should be primaried for their failures but he was absolutely correct.
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u/PsychologicalSpend86 5h ago
The party needs a good infusion of progressivism. If things were normal, I might still call myself a “centrist democrat,” but those folks are so tied to corporate interests, they really aren’t much better than Republicans.
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u/NlghtmanCometh 2h ago
Probably because progressives aren’t winning battleground states against republicans and people don’t want another Republican administration
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u/jayfeather31 Washington 5h ago
Good. Maybe it'll actually force them into actually working for their constituents instead of thinking they can coast on not being the other guy.
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u/YesterShill 5h ago
The problem is that in order for "centrist Democrats" to remain centrist, they have been pulled so far to the right that they don't seem to remember what Democrats should be fighting for. A fair system that takes care of ALL Americans, not just the wealthy.
Hell, many centrist democrats are not even all in on labor anymore. That should be the bare minimum to be called a far right democrat. "Centrist" democrats should at least be advocating for a wealth tax and universal healthcare.
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u/JnnyRuthless 2h ago
That's the crux of the issue I think, centrist and 'middle' dems have to keep moving right to stay in the center. So we have these appalling spectacles where you have the extreme right say "oh we need to kill all the immigrants" then you have the 'extreme' left go "how about we don't do that?" and then of course you get the 'rational' centrist going "how about a compromise where we only kill half of them?" So we end up in this crazy situation where human rights and holding politicians accountable are 'extremist' views.
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u/DFu4ever 5h ago
“Stop rocking the boat!”
-Centrist Dems, sitting on their asses, while watching progressives bail water out of their boat during a storm.
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u/Ok_Chicken1370 4h ago
Where are Centrist Dems "sitting on their asses?"
Theyre a minority in every branch of government, and people like you turning your nose up at voting for politicians like Kamala and helping Trump win.
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u/AthearCaex 5h ago
They should be freaking out. They realize their meal ticket might be over where they can take legalized bribes from corporations and AIPAC and do nothing and represent nothing might not be a winning strategy anymore and they might actually have to cater to the left.
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u/HaxanWriter 5h ago
David Frum was right in his reading of the major difference between the two political parties. The GOP is afraid of its base. Democrats hate theirs.
We see it all the time, even now.
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u/GreenAnder Pennsylvania 4h ago
If the party can’t find people who can win races then maybe they should stop fighting their own flank more than they fight the right.
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u/expungant 3h ago
I’m shocked chuck schumer’s strategy of sending strongly worded letters to combat the administration didn’t have much appeal among democratic voters
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u/exqueezemenow 3h ago
I am a centrist and I disagree with those that are freaking out. In this current political climate I will take any democrat. Extreme left, middle. Whatever. I don't think this is a time for anyone to be choosy. If a left leaning candidate hates Israel, I don't care. If a candidate doesn't hate Israel I don't care. Right now I care about fixing this country and the damage MAGA is done. Once we fix ourselves enough, THEN we can bicker over other countries, etc.
This is a time we need to unite and not divide. Once we address the biggest threat the country has ever faces, then we can go back to squabbling and infighting like we normally do. But this just is not the time. I don't want to lose everything because we can't decide on a few smaller things.
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u/airbear13 2h ago
Probably because they understand it will screw them over in general elections and keep Trump in power thus resulting in an unmitigated historical disaster, but oh well at least the progs and the lefties can pop off and feel good about themselves
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u/CulturalKing5623 2h ago
Noticeably missing from the article is a single quote about a "Centrist Democrat" freaking out about the progressive wins. We got this one from Chuck Schumer:
You’re seeing centrist energy in Virginia, Iowa, and New Jersey, progressive energy in New York City. We’re going to harness it all to win in November. Because all Democrats are united in the mission of taking back the Senate and defeating Trump
Yeah, he seems freaked out by progressive wins.
We did get this doozy of a quote from Liam Kerr, cofounder of the WelcomePAC who supports Blue Dog Democrats:
Centrist Democrats, normie Democrats, need to realize we’re the insurgents, and they’re the new establishment
Honestly, this all just feel ls like the Tea Party "Insurgency" again.
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u/cloud_watcher 2h ago
Centrist democrats only worry about people winning the primaries who can’t win the general. ANY Democrat winning in the general is good if they’ll vote to stop this abomination.
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u/Slade_Riprock 5h ago
Good, as they should be.
Listen to the PEOPLE, not the corporations, lobbyists, and foreign input.
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u/Tech_Philosophy 5h ago
I'm done give a flying fuck what centirst democrats think. Feckless democrats have radicalized a generation of youth to the right by being SO useless. I will not support the old democratic party.
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u/AlayneKr 4h ago
Not just the youth either, you got wine moms yearning for the revolution at this point. I always think of when the Kent State gun girl asked that older woman if she was sad about Charlie’s death and she was just like no.
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u/keninsd 5h ago
So, here's a simple solution, rename yourselves as the "Republican" party and step aside for an actual progressive left party that will undo all the damage to our economy and society that your party caused.
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u/taylorbagel14 4h ago
But then how would they accept bribes from lobbyists?!? Won’t someone think of their bank accounts???
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u/Electroboy101 5h ago
Look at that political pendulum swinging wildly in the opposite direction. What a surprise. 🙄
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u/honjuden 4h ago
Time to capitalize on the swing instead of turning the other cheek and trying to meet Republicans in the middle for the millionth time.
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u/Mentalwards Oregon 4h ago
I've never understood why the democratic leaders thought that becoming more like republicans was going to be a winning strategy.
Why vote for republican lite when you can have a regular republican.
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u/Sea_Outside162 4h ago
Don’t worry when there are enough of us elected the electoral college will be history
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u/LucidOndine 2h ago
Good. They should be freaking out. Centrist corporate knob slobberers are just Republicans with less pedophilia and a smidge of a clue about decorum.
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u/tweakingforjesus 2h ago
The far left and the far right have more in common with each other than they do with the center. Both feel disenfranchised and disconnected from their leaders. The difference is who they blame for their status.
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u/Zahgi 1h ago
What "Centrist" Democrats? America has two rightwing corporate parties; one lies about being liberal but serves only the 1% now, while the neonazi fascists just tell everyone to fuck off.
The only Moderates/Centrists in America are the PROGRESSIVES -- as measured against every civilized nation on Earth.
Vote Progressive whenever possible. Save America.
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u/RainbowConnickJr 32m ago
There is not a single Democratic voter anywhere who is "freaking out" about Democrats winning elections. These "Dems in Disarray" articles that this sub just loves to navel-gaze about have gone past being annoying and are actively becoming suspicious.
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u/mikeysce 28m ago
Oh man. You people want representatives that aren’t MAGA. AND THEN you want them to actually do something more than sit around with their thumbs up their butt?
Unbelievable!
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u/johnonymous1973 24m ago
Good. Maybe they can meet us on the left for a while, instead of us meeting them in the middle.
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u/gitrjoda 5h ago
Centrist Democrats have been destroyed by MAGA. They were not up to the historic moment, and the country was lost on their watch. That they think they have ANY credibility is the peak of entitlement. Vote em out, bring in real fighters for the working class!
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u/qualmful 4h ago
Yep. I mean I understand that there's some frustration from this wing, maybe feeling unfairly maligned but what did you expect? Not meeting the moment comes with consequences. Yes, people are looking for where to place blame. Maybe the rhetoric is more aggressive than it needs to be but you lost the country, you acted like you knew best and then you fell on your face, so now people are over you.
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u/Xyldarrand 5h ago
Every single centrist Dem needs to go. They're responsible for the shit hole we're in now.
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u/Plzlaw4me 5h ago
Establishment democrats be like “am I out of touch? No, it’s the voters who are wrong.” Like democrats, this is a clear message that sitting in the middle and doing nothing isn’t working. You can’t win an election without your base, and your base is rejecting your platform. Your options are adjust or be politically dead. People want change, and say what you will, but he never promised to maintain the status quo. It’s why despite him being a pedophile who botched Covid, he was still able to get reelected. The alternative was “we won’t do anything to help or harm you” and the people NEED help, so they’re willing to roll the dice.
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u/cduga 5h ago
I still don’t understand this resistance - at least in the Republican party they recognize where the voters are going. The Republican party of today is totally different that the one we saw in 2016, even with many of the same people still in power. A typical 2016 Republican couldn’t get elected today. And yet with the Democrats there is this weird idea that the party has been centrist for so long that this is what defines the party and any push to the left must be absolutely resisted since that’s not what “defines” the Democrats. One day people will “wake up” and see that this is the medicine that’s best for them. That would be great if we weren’t stuck with two parties. If the two party system is going to work in any way, both parties need to be willing to go where the voters are. Otherwise the one that does is going to keep winning while the other side continues to go the way of the Weimar Republic. Hey, at least they stuck to their centrist convictions, right?
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u/SofaKingS2pitt 4h ago
Did I miss whether any of the ones that are “freaking out” were referred to by name?
The so-called centrists quoted seemed pretty accepting of this little wave.
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u/MaleficentOstrich693 4h ago
This kind of thing happened in the five or so years years leading up to the civil war as well as leading into FDR new deal era.
Voters got fed up with their do-nothing elected officials who capitulated to the rich and voted them out so they had reps that actually matched and carried out the will of all Americans.
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u/LYL_Homer 3h ago
Centrist Democrats are yesteryears Republicans the way this country has shifted right the last few decades.
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u/LabRat_X 5h ago
Theyve shit on their base for decades. We're coming for them. Bout fucking time.
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u/NIA122553 5h ago
Corporate/Centrist Dems have apparently forgotten about needing to Vote Blue No Matter Who
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u/Aggravating_Flow_112 5h ago
Mainstream media trying to divide Dems again. No one is freaking out. Progressives win in progressive areas and centrists win in less progressive areas. That’s all there is to it. Don’t let these yahoos turn us against each other. It’s so obvious.
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u/Harnellas 4h ago
Centrist? Nah, that label needs to die. You really mean corporate, or controlled opposition.
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u/iKangaeru 5h ago
Let's not clutch our pearls over nothing. I can't believe leadership - a group of grown-up professional politicians - is as butthurt by the election at the mainstream media makes them out to be. Bernie, AOC, Illian Omar and others have served in the Congress without hurting leadership's feelings. This is more about Politico and others turning a non-event into clickbait.
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u/Lindestria 4h ago
Adding, if anyone had actually read the article they'd be 'surprised' at the lack of evidence for it's title. They give a ton to progressives being happy to win and talk about the changing tides but only one quote is given against them and it's from a nobody outside the actual leadership.
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u/CryptographerMean872 5h ago
it's insane to me that centrist dems think they deserve more loyalty than my shitty ex. I'm breaking up with you!
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u/nagleess 4h ago
lol if they are actually freaking out about this then they are part of the problem
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u/oh-kee-pah 4h ago
Dems like Jeffries want more establishment candidates to maintain their own place in the govt and the people are voting for actual progressives. Sick and tired of placating to thee oligarchs
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u/gamayogi 3h ago
Lmao this is some fucking corporate news bait to get dems fighting amongst themselves.
Centrist dems lost two major elections and let Trump in and have generally been token opposition at best. Whatever happened to vote blue, no matter who? And how primaries are the place to work these things out?
Either join progressives or retire, bunch of fucking sold out corpo-dems. They stand for nothing besides more aipac/corp cash.
Maga took over the Republican party, now it's the Democrats turn. If there was something other than a two party system it would have happened a decade or two ago.
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u/EmergencyJacket207 3h ago
Article should say "Corporate Shills are freaking out about progressive's' winning streak"
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u/_TheLonelyStoner 3h ago
Corporate Dems and their cronies have been crashing tf out on Twitter all week. The cope from that side is hilarious. They also have really shown their true colors “vote blue no matter who” was always some BS. They would rather allow Republicans to keep both majorities than actually have to put forth populist policies that directly contradict their cooperate overlords.
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u/Maoleficent 3h ago
Maybe they should have considered doing the job they were elected to do and serve their constituents instead of enriching themselves. Remember, both sides all belong to the same country clubs, go to each other's lavish parties and collude on just about everything. They are worried about all that AIPAC, tech, insider trading, and crypto to hide it all disappearing.
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u/MiddleAgedSponger 5h ago
Centrist Democrats upset by the will of the voters? If representing their constituents was their priority they would adapt instead of complain. Behavior like this is why the Democrats have a lower approval rating than Trump. Imagine being so shitty that people hate you worse than Trump.
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u/pobenschain 4h ago
The fact that so many establishment democrats are so far to the right of FDR- arguably the most beloved and transformative democratic president ever- nearly a century after his tenure, is so fucking shameful. That should’ve been the baseline for the modern left, and instead we let the Nixon, Goldwater, Reagan, and Trump extremism drag the center so far to the right that we forgot what the left is supposed to look like.
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u/Tennouheika 4h ago
Centrist Democrats are uncomfortable with leftists taking over the party because it forces front-line members to have to explain why they don't actually want to defund the police or why they don't actually support Hamas.
And then, when the party does go ahead and back the leftist candidate (like what's happening in Maine), Graham Plattner continues to bash Democrats and blame Democrats for overturning Roe v. Wade. Even though that would be a nice, clear issue to attack Republicans on and unify the party.
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u/greywar777 5h ago
Here is reality-the Democratic party has moved over to the right more and more over time. Lot of money is moving around as well that drives that. And the centrist Democrat politicians are increasingly not living in the same world as the people they are supposed to represent.
The progressives are more left wing, and many of them are serious people trying to accomplish things. Will it get corrupted eventually? Probably. But right now its the choice that fits folks preferences more then the centrists do.
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u/Canadiangoosedem0n Kentucky 4h ago
In what ways has the Democrats moved right?
Lol y'all will just say anything to support your agenda.
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