Progressive Democrats Battle Establishment in Key Primaries Across Five States
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Primary elections in Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, and Washington see progressive Democrats fighting to defend and expand representation, challenging centrist power and right-wing influence in Congress.
Voters in Michigan, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, and Washington are casting ballots in primary contests that could determine whether Congress moves toward genuine progress or remains mired in corporate influence. In Michigan, the Democratic Senate primary is a showdown between progressive champion and public health advocate Abdul El-Sayed, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and establishment favorite Rep. Haley Stevens, who enjoys the support of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The seat, vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters, is critical for Democrats to hold if they hope to advance policies that benefit working people, not just the wealthy elite. Meanwhile, former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers faces no opposition for the Republican nomination, highlighting the GOP's lack of internal democracy.
"Sometimes, when the Democratic Party talks about a big tent, we push everybody into the corner and then go talk and pander to the corner," El-Sayed told CBS News correspondent Ed O'Keefe, calling out the party's tendency to marginalize its progressive base.
"This is six years of hard, unglamorous work that I'm signing up for. I'm Michigan's workhorse. That's what I want to be," Stevens said, attempting to downplay her opponent's grassroots momentum by referencing his presidential ambitions.
The Michigan governor's race is also open as Gov. Whitmer, a centrist Democrat, reaches term limits. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a defender of voting rights, leads the Democratic primary, while the Republican field has consolidated behind former Rep. John James, a candidate with a history of opposing progressive reforms.
In Virginia, the state Supreme Court's reinstatement of the 2021 nonpartisan congressional map has forced Democrats to fight harder in districts that could have been more fairly drawn. Progressive candidates like former Rep. Elaine Luria and prosecutor Shannon Taylor are challenging entrenched Republican power, despite the setback of losing a voter-approved redistricting plan.
Missouri’s congressional contests remain in flux due to ongoing redistricting litigation. Rep. Wesley Bell faces a rematch with former Rep. Cori Bush, a bold progressive voice, in the 1st District. Long-time Rep. Emanuel Cleaver runs unopposed in a newly drawn district, but Republicans are already lining up to challenge his commitment to social justice.
Washington’s top-two primary will determine which candidates advance in the 3rd Congressional District, where incumbent Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who has stood up to MAGA extremism, faces a field including Trump-endorsed state Sen. John Braun, a threat to democracy and progressive values.
Kansas voters must choose a new governor as Gov. Laura Kelly, a rare Democratic leader in a red state, is term-limited. The race features three Democrats and seven Republicans, with former Senate President Ty Masterson receiving an endorsement from Donald Trump, signaling a continued rightward lurch that progressives must resist.