Liberal progressives are remaking the Democratic party in 2026
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How are progressive insurgents reshaping the Democratic Party in 2026?
The Democratic Party's left wing is no longer knocking on the door. It's kicking it in. The same energy that helped elect Zoran Mamdani has fueled a string of insurgent victories, knocking off longtime office holders and helping progressive challengers break through in New York and Colorado. five Democratic House incumbents have already been shown the door. Party leaders are watching nervously. Their concern is that Republicans will seize on those wins to blur the lines between progressives and moderates, turning every Democrat in a competitive state into a stand-in for the party's most unapologetic activists. Is the party genuinely rebuilding itself, or are progressives dooming the Dems for what could have been a midterm route?
Hello and welcome to USA Today's The Excerpt. I'm Dana Taylor. Today is Tuesday, July 14th, 2026. Here to dig into all of it is USA Today Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page. Susan, it's always great to have you on.
Hey, Dana. It's always good to be on with you.
What immediate impact did Lindsey Graham’s unexpected death have on the Senate?
Susan, let's start with Lindsey Graham, who unexpectedly died this past weekend. He's been an influential Republican in Congress for more than three decades. What's the impact of his death on Capitol Hill?
You know, one thing, it's a reminder of how old members of the Senate are. You know, more than half of the members of the Senate are over 65 years of age. You know, in any other field, that might be a retirement age, not in the U.S. Senate. So we have the South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham dying unexpectedly, and Mitch McConnell, the former Republican majority leader, a member of the Senate from Kentucky now, in the hospital for some time, for more than a month. So we are seeing the impact of aging. And with Lindsey Graham, he's been an important part of some of the central debates of the day. He's a traditional Republican hawk, believes in the exercise of U.S. military power around the world.
He's been a voice in support of the war in Iran. He's urged the Trump administration and the president to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. He has been a longtime advocate for Israel. So on those issues and more, I think on Capitol Hill, they will feel the loss of Lindsey Graham.
Moving on to Maine and former Democratic senatorial candidate Graham Plattner. A lot is riding on this seat in November. Tell me about the race, the kind of candidate Plattner was politically, and who might replace him, Susan.
No more important race this year than the main Senate race. And why is that? Because it is seen as really crucial to which party will control the U.S. Senate after these midterms. Susan Collins is the only Republican incumbent on the ballot for the Senate this year in a state that Trump lost in 2024. So that makes it the top Democratic target for Republican Senate seat to flip and for Democrats to win control of the Senate, they need to flip four of those seats and hold all of their own. And the main Senate race has gotten other attention because it's been an example of the rise in energy for these very progressive candidates, including Graham Plattner, not the choice of the Democratic establishment,
the two-term governor of Maine, Janet Mills, ran against him in the primary. He did so well, his strength was so apparent, that she eventually suspended her campaign. He won that primary despite some significant controversies over a Nazi tattoo, which he said he wasn't aware of, over allegations of misconduct toward women. Finally, an allegation of rape, which he denies, prompted him to suspend his campaign. So we're off to the races in Maine. Democrats are having a hurry-up convention on July 25th to replace Plattner on the ballot in Maine. We'll see who ends up getting that nomination now.
And this progressive wave in democratic politics really started with the election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the first mayor of Indian descent and first Muslim and also the first democratic socialist. How has that race set the stage for this progressive party coup, if you will?
You know, it showed somebody who had the label Democratic Socialist could win a big contested race to be mayor of the nation's largest city.
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