Progressives appear on the verge of sweeping a trio of heavily contested Democratic primaries in Michigan and Wisconsin, alarming party operatives who fear the left-leaning candidates could endanger the party’s chances in two of the nation’s iconic swing states.
Public surveys released in recent days have pointed to significant primary leads for Assemblywoman Francesca Hong in Wisconsin’s governor’s race, for Sunrise Movement co-founder Will Lawrence in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District and for former public health official Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race.
All are set to defeat comparatively moderate opponents and will have overcome ferocious efforts by establishment-aligned forces to stop them. All have been seemingly boosted by Republicans in one way or another. All are facing some degree of worry about whether they can triumph in territory won by President Donald Trump in 2024 in November.
All of their rises have led to finger-pointing within the party’s establishment and its moderate wing, with many arguing they were too slow to adjust to voters’ post-Biden preferences on everything from Israel to data centers to economic populism. Others are pointing to race-specific problems, with the moderate wing failing to consolidate its voters early in both the 7th District and in the Wisconsin governor’s race.
