The Democratic Party is gearing up for a fierce battle to reclaim control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, yet the internal strife within their ranks could potentially hinder their progress.
As reported by the Western Journal, the party is witnessing a surge of contentious primaries in key swing districts, where establishment Democrats are clashing with candidates from the far-left faction. This internal discord has raised alarms among party strategists, who fear that nominating progressive candidates might jeopardize their chances of flipping Republican-held seats in the 2026 elections.
The defeat of Tennessee Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn in December serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating the potential pitfalls of fielding staunch progressives in conservative-leaning districts.
Despite Behn's ability to keep the race competitive in a district that President Donald Trump won by a significant margin in 2024, some Democrats argue that a more centrist candidate could have fared better. "Each time we nominate a far-left candidate in a swing district who declares themselves to be radical and alienates the voters in the middle who deliver majorities, we set back that cause," stated Lanae Erickson, a senior Vice President at the liberal think tank Third Way, following Behn's loss.
Democratic strategist Simon Balezon echoed this sentiment on X, writing, "Mightve been winnable with the right candidate, but Aftyn Im a very radical person Behn was not it."
Meanwhile, Republicans are seizing the opportunity to link Democrats in competitive districts to the democratic socialism espoused by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The proliferation of primary contests is also forcing Democrats to allocate substantial resources to these battles, while GOP incumbents continue to amass funds for the general election.
"Democrats are trapped in a civil war of their own making, dragged left by Zohran Mamdani radicals while their swing seats bleed money," remarked NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella. "This is what a party in panic looks like."
In response, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee attributes the surge in primaries to the party's strong performance in the 2025 off-year elections and their lead in the generic ballot. Despite this, Republicans maintain a higher favorability rating and have largely outpaced Democrats in fundraising efforts.
"Every poll and election result this year point to one reality: voters are tired of Republicans broken promises and are poised to deliver major wins for Democrats in the midterms," Viet Shelton, a representative for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The ideological and factional divides within the Democratic Party are particularly evident in four battleground districts, where contentious primaries are unfolding. These swing seats are poised to play a pivotal role in determining control of the House during the midterms, given the razor-thin majority held by House Republicans.
In California's 22nd District, Democrats are locked in a fierce contest to unseat moderate Republican Rep. David Valadao. Valadao's reelection bid has become more challenging following Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom's gerrymandering, which transformed the district from one Trump won by six percentage points in 2024 to one President Biden would have carried by only two points. Randy Villegas, a college professor and school board trustee, is running as a staunch progressive with the endorsement of independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and the left-wing Working Families Party. Villegas has also enlisted political strategist Morris Katz, known for his work on Zohran Mamdani's campaign, to produce ads for his congressional run.
Competing against Villegas is California state legislator Jasmeet Bains, who is running on a more moderate platform. Bains has garnered endorsements from establishment California Democrats and EMILYs List, a pro-abortion organization supporting female candidates. Villegas has emphasized his progressive credentials by rejecting corporate PAC money and advocating for Medicare for All, a universal taxpayer-funded health proposal that has divided Democrats. Valadao, who is the only remaining House Republican seeking reelection in 2026 after voting to impeach Trump in 2021, entered October with nearly $1.8 million on hand, significantly outpacing Bains and Villegas, who both reported less than $300,000 in the bank.
In Colorado's 8th District, Republican Rep. Gabe Evans faces several Democratic challengers in a purple district that narrowly voted for Trump. Progressive candidate Manny Rutinel is vying for the Democratic nomination against fellow state legislator Shannon Bird, who is running on a more moderate platform. Rutinel has pledged to forgo corporate PAC donations and has secured support from the left-leaning Congressional Hispanic Caucus' campaign arm. Bird, backed by EMILYs List and WelcomePAC, a center-left organization, announced her resignation from the state legislature to focus on her congressional run. Evans leads the field in fundraising, ending the third quarter of 2025 with nearly $2 million in the bank, while Rutinel maintains a fundraising edge over Bird with $1 million on hand.
In Pennsylvania's 7th District, five Democratic candidates are competing in a crowded primary to unseat Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in 2026. Mackenzie, a freshman lawmaker representing a bellwether district in the Lehigh Valley, is one of the Democrats' top targets in the midterms. The swing district backed Trump in 2024 after voting for Biden in 2020. Mackenzie narrowly defeated then-incumbent Democratic Rep. Susan Wild by one point in 2024. Wild has endorsed Carol Obando-Derstine, a former staffer to Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, to challenge Mackenzie. Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association president Bob Brooks leads the field in endorsements, drawing support from progressives like Sanders and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, as well as establishment Democrats, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Northampton County executive Lamont McClure and former federal prosecutor and Marine reservist Ryan Crosswell are also vying for the Democratic nomination. Mackenzie holds a significant fundraising advantage over the Democratic candidates, reporting more than $1.4 million in the bank at the end of September. Crosswell closed the third fundraising quarter with over $430,000 on hand, followed by McClure and Brooks, who both reported less than $300,000.
In Arizona's 1st District, Democrats are divided over the best candidate to succeed retiring Republican Rep. David Schweikert. The battleground seat, vacated by Schweikert as he runs for governor, spans parts of wealthy North Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley, which Trump carried by three points in 2024.
Former Democratic state legislator Amish Shah, who narrowly lost to Schweikert as the district's 2024 Democratic nominee, is mounting a comeback bid with the support of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus' campaign arm. Former TV anchor Marlene Galn-Woods, backed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' campaign arm and EMILYs List, argues for a new face in 2026, having placed third in the 2024 Democratic primary. Galn-Woods, the widow of late Republican Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods, was a registered Republican until 2018.
Trump endorsed Arizona Republican Party chairwoman Gina Swoboda to succeed Schweikert in October, though his support has not deterred other candidates from entering the race. Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer criticized Swoboda's leadership in a post on X.
Former sports reporter, analyst, and NFL kicker Jay Feely announced his candidacy against Swoboda in the district's Republican primary after previously running in the neighboring safely Republican 5th district. Feely switched seats after Trump endorsed another GOP candidate for the 5th district but expressed his admiration for Feely, suggesting he should run for another district or office. Feely played in the NFL for 14 seasons, including four with the Arizona Cardinals.
In another contested GOP-held seat, moderate and progressive factions of the Democratic Party have largely united around three-time Democratic candidate Rebecca Cooke, who is expected to face Republican Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden in the general election.
Cooke lost to Van Orden by approximately 12,000 votes in 2024, notably outperforming former Vice President Kamala Harris by about three points, according to analysis by The Downballot.
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