With just over two months to go before the US's midterm elections, Democrats face a problem that goes beyond the familiar question of how to beat President Donald Trump: they are still arguing over what the Democratic Party should actually stand for.
The divide between progressives and moderates has been visible throughout this year’s primary season. But in recent weeks, it has become harder to dismiss as an internal family quarrel.
Progressive insurgents have scored a series of significant victories, while establishment Democrats have responded with growing anxiety about whether candidates identified with the left can win in November – particularly in swing districts and Republican-leaning states.
The irony is that both camps believe they have learned the same lesson from the agonising 2024 defeat.
For progressives, the lesson is that moderation has failed. They argue that Democrats spent too long defending the status quo, speaking in cautious technocratic language and relying on opposition to Trump rather than offering voters a compelling economic alternative.
