{"id":16136,"date":"2025-12-01T11:02:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T11:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/democrats-path-back-to-power-is-littered-with-primaries\/"},"modified":"2025-12-01T11:02:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T11:02:16","slug":"democrats-path-back-to-power-is-littered-with-primaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/democrats-path-back-to-power-is-littered-with-primaries\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats\u2019 path back to power is littered with primaries"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Democrats are charting a path back to power in the House as Republicans falter heading into the midterms. But first they have to contend with more than a dozen primaries across the country that are exposing deep ideological divisions within their ranks.<\/p>\n

Democrats will undergo grueling intraparty battles across the country, from purple seats with retiring incumbents to battleground districts where they hope to go on offense to safe blue seats where the primary will all but decide the eventual winner. In one case, interest groups are squaring off against each other in a central California district amplifying party divides.<\/p>\n

Animating these races are factional, ideological and demographic divides that have been brewing for years in a party that\u2019s become more of a vehicle for opposition than one with a proactive message. Now the splits are peaking just as Democrats, buoyed by this month\u2019s off-cycle election sweep, feel more optimistic about regaining control over the House, which would require a net gain of three seats. They also see a path \u2014 albeit much steeper \u2014 to retake the Senate.<\/p>\n

Republicans \u2014 who have a long history of intense House primaries \u2014 face a far more relaxed environment next year, allowing their candidates to stockpile cash while hotly contested Democratic races consume valuable resources.<\/p>\n

Democrats have long been grappling with a younger faction hankering to take on the establishment that is pushing policies and tactics that agitate mainstream politicians who believe their methods will yield general election victories. And the generational divides opened by Joe Biden\u2019s decision to step off the presidential ticket in the face of immense internal pressure last year still ripple throughout the party.<\/p>\n

Some Democrats are already growing concerned about the number of primaries their party is contending with.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe beauty of a democracy is that anyone can run. But sometimes the disaster of a democracy is, they do,\u201d said Rep. Mike Thompson, who faces a primary from a younger Democrat for his California seat. \u201cWe need to be focused. We need to be making sure that we’re looking at taking back the majority, not fighting amongst ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some Democrats say the growing enthusiasm among newcomers to run for office signals a positive future for the party as it continues to grapple with its vast losses last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter the primary dynamic, Democrats are united in our common mission to get a Congress that stops catering to the billionaires, and instead focuses on the needs of hardworking families struggling to get by under Republican rule,\u201d Viet Shelton, spokesperson for House Democrats\u2019 campaign arm, said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Others believe that contested primaries will help rebuild the party\u2019s frayed relationship with its voters. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a trust problem,\u201d said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.). \u201cWe have to make the case to people that we are not just fighting for them for the sake of fighting, but we’re fighting for them because we have the empathy to understand the real day-to-day struggles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at some of the hottest primaries unfolding around the country:<\/p>\n

The open seats\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Arizona\u2019s 1st District was a top target for Democrats even before Republican incumbent David Schweikert decided to run for governor. Now a pair of repeat candidates are splitting groups that spend heavily in primaries.<\/p>\n

Marlene Galan-Woods has the backing of EMILYs List and BOLD PAC, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus\u2019 campaign arm, while Amish Shah has support from AAPI Victory Fund and ASPIRE PAC, which both support Asian-American candidates. Democratic groups continue to recruit more candidates for the race, according to two people granted anonymity to discuss private plans.<\/p>\n

A similar dynamic is playing out in Nebraska\u2019s blue-leaning 2nd District, where GOP Rep. Don Bacon has decided not to run for reelection. BOLD PAC and EMILYs List have lined up behind Denise Powell, while the Congressional Progressive Caucus is with state Sen. John Cavanaugh for the Omaha seat.<\/p>\n

The mudslinging has begun between the opposing camps, with some corners of the party privately expressing concerns about Cavanaugh\u2019s fundraising and that his voting record and fundraising could make him vulnerable to GOP attacks in a general election.<\/p>\n

After Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) abruptly retired earlier this month<\/u><\/a>, Democrats have been quickly forced to regroup in a district President Donald Trump carried by 9 points last year.<\/p>\n

Former Gov. Paul LePage has staved off any serious primary on the Republican side, while Democrats are contending with a fight between one-time Golden challenger Matt Dunlap and former Senate candidate Jordan Wood, who switched to the open district<\/u><\/a> following Golden\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n

Democrats in the area are still recruiting, but it\u2019s an uphill fight. One gubernatorial candidate, former state Senate President Troy Jackson had expressed interest in a bid but ultimately decided against it<\/u><\/a>. Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis is also considering a run<\/u><\/a>, according to an ally, but Francis has not spoken publicly about the race.<\/p>\n

Whoever enters the race needs to act quickly. Wood has carried over cash from his well-funded Senate bid, and Dunlap has a head start over others in the progressive lane thinking about jumping in.<\/p>\n

The pickup opportunities\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Democrats angling to pick off Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in Pennsylvania\u2019s 7th District are working against each other in a messy five-way primary. The Lehigh Valley seat has flipped between parties four times in the past two decades and was one of the closest House races in the country last year when Mackenzie won it for the GOP.<\/p>\n

Firefighter union head Bob Brooks has earned a raft of endorsements from across the party spectrum \u2014 from progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) to Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and a host of unions. Carol Obando-Derstine has the backing of the district\u2019s last Democratic representative, moderate Susan Wild, whom Mackenzie unseated in 2024, as well as EMILYs List and BOLD PAC.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve both been outraised by Ryan Crosswell, a former Republican who resigned from the Department of Justice following Trump\u2019s demand that the agency drop its corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. He\u2019s drawn support from VoteVets and New Politics, which back veterans running for office.<\/p>\n

Gov. Josh Shapiro could tip the scales \u2014 the popular Democratic governor is expected to follow Davis<\/u><\/a> in backing Brooks.<\/p>\n

Democrats also face a primary headache in California\u2019s San Joaquin Valley for the seat held by GOP Rep. David Valadao. The seat became bluer under the state\u2019s new voter-approved map, but it has still swung between the parties in recent years. Visalia school board trustee Randy Villegas<\/u><\/a> has backing from the party\u2019s left wing, including from Sanders, the Progressive Caucus PAC and BOLD PAC. But Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains has rolled out a large slate of endorsements from sitting state and federal lawmakers as well as organized labor and groups like EMILYs List.<\/p>\n

\u201cElection Night 2025 was a clean sweep for EMILYs List women and made clear that the path to flipping the House in 2026 runs through electing bold women leaders,\u201d EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler said in a statement.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s even quiet handwringing happening in western Montana over a brewing primary for the seat held by GOP Rep Ryan Zinke. Democrats are bullish on flipping a seat Trump won by nearly a dozen points last year, but party leaders are raising private concerns about the past lobbying work<\/u><\/a> on sanctuary cities and transgender issues done by smoke jumper<\/u><\/a> Sam Forstag, who is considering whether to enter the three-person race.<\/p>\n

The comeback bid\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

If the national redistricting fight continues, it could further shake up at least one primary field.<\/p>\n

Virginia\u2019s 2nd Congressional District has flipped between parties four times over the past two decades and could be made bluer by Virginia Democrats in a redraw. Former Rep. Elaine Luria is trying to mount a comeback bid, but Navy reservist James Osyf is already in the race and has posted healthy fundraising totals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re in the process of redistricting, and everyone expects the 2nd to be significantly different,\u201d said Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), who represents a neighboring district.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Democrats are charting a path back to power in the House as Republicans falter heading into the midterms. But first they have to contend with more than a dozen primaries across the country that are exposing deep ideological divisions within their ranks. Democrats will undergo grueling intraparty battles across the country, from purple seats with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16136\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}