A wave of far-left Democratic candidates has seized Senate nominations in Michigan and Minnesota and nearly captured a gubernatorial nod in Wisconsin, forcing a party establishment that spent tens of millions trying to stop them to now rally behind nominees it openly opposed. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director with no prior federal […] The post Insurgent left-wing Democrats capture key primaries, rattling the party establishment appeared first on American Almanac .
A wave of far-left Democratic candidates has seized Senate nominations in Michigan and Minnesota and nearly captured a gubernatorial nod in Wisconsin, forcing a party establishment that spent tens of millions trying to stop them to now rally behind nominees it openly opposed. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director with no prior federal office, defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary despite being vastly outspent. In Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan crushed Rep. Angie Craig by 20 percentage points in the August 11 DFL Senate primary. And in Wisconsin, state Rep. Francesca Hong, a card-carrying member of the Democratic Socialists of America, lost the gubernatorial nomination to Milwaukee County…Open
AI:A wave of far-left insurgent Democrats has successfully seized key Senate and gubernatorial nominations across critical swing states, leaving the Democratic Party establishment reeling after spending tens of millions to stop them. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed secured a massive upset in the most expensive Senate primary in history by defeating Rep. Haley Stevens, buoyed by endorsements from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and leveraging intense opposition to U.S. support for Israel. Similarly, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan achieved a landslide 20-point victory in the Minnesota Senate primary, while DSA member Francesca Hong nearly captured the Wisconsin gubernatorial nomination, falling short by less than one percent. These victories…Open
MS NOW Political Analyst Matthew Bartlett and Michael Hardaway, former Communications Director for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, join Alex Witt to discuss the state of the midterms and the buildup to the 2028 presidential primary season.
The party’s membership finalized the new order for the first six states to winnow the candidate field, pushing back Iowa and New Hampshire.
AI:The Democratic establishment has officially restructured its 2028 presidential primary calendar, shifting South Carolina into the inaugural position and relegating traditional early states like Iowa and New Hampshire to later dates. This strategic reorganization of the first six contests is designed to reshape the path to nomination by prioritizing specific voting blocs that favor party insiders over grassroots-driven candidates.Open
The DNC completes their summer meeting in Austin, Texas today where they are expected to give final approval to their Presidential primary calendar that has South Carolina’s primary first in January. Their meeting comes amid growing Democratic optimism and turnout in recent primary elections. But the party also faces internal turmoil over questions surrounding leadership and fundraising. DNC Chair Ken Martin joins The Weekend to discuss.
AI:The Democratic National Committee concluded its summer meeting in Austin, Texas, where leadership officially moved to place South Carolina at the head of the 2028 presidential primary calendar. DNC Chair Ken Martin is attempting to project a narrative of "all gas no brakes" momentum and optimism heading into the midterms, yet this strategic realignment appears to be a transparent attempt by the establishment to gatekeep the process and favor preferred candidates over outsiders. Despite the party's attempts to manufacture confidence through these calendar shifts, the organization remains deeply fractured by internal turmoil concerning leadership stability and an escalating reliance on massive fundraising to maintain control amidst growing…Open
Democratic Senate nominees in Nebraska, Idaho and South Dakota dropped out, clearing the way for independents. But Alani Bankhead in Montana declined to join them.
AI:Democratic Senate nominees in Nebraska, Idaho, and South Dakota have officially dropped out of their races, a move that signals a total surrender of these deep-red territories to independent challengers. While Montana's Alani Bankhead has refused to abandon her campaign, the mass exodus across other states highlights the Democratic Party's growing inability to field viable candidates in much of the country, effectively handing momentum to independents as the party establishment concedes ground.Open
Democrats chose South Carolina for the first 2028 presidential primary, then Nevada, prioritizing Black and Latino voters. New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia also hold early contests.
