Progressive Democrats are experiencing a notable rise, with Florida state representative Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist, securing an upset win in the Democratic US Senate primary on Tuesday. This comes amid discussions about a perceived decline of corporate Democrats.
In Michigan, Dr Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic primary over Haley Stevens, despite Super PACs spending an estimated $54m to $60m against him, compared to approximately $5m for El-Sayed. Pro-Stevens groups outspent El-Sayed on TV advertising alone by more than 12 to one in the closing weeks.
The race between Stevens and El-Sayed was seen as a proxy fight for the future of the Democratic party. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and other corporate-aligned politicians supported Stevens, while Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez backed El-Sayed.
Some Democrats, including strategist James Carville, have voiced concerns about the current wave of progressive primary wins, drawing comparisons to 2016 progressive campaigns. Carville suggested that Bernie Sanders' primary challenge to Hillary Clinton in 2016 weakened her general election prospects.