WASHINGTON — Progressives trying to shove Congress to the left by competing in this year’s Democratic primaries ousted three moderate incumbents, won other victories and established themselves as a force that’s not going away.
But some challengers lost, and their overall wins were a modest number compared with the 535 House and Senate members. That means it’s been a mixed bag of results for progressives in this year’s races, leading party centrists to minimize those gains and assert that congressional Democrats’ power is really wielded by moderates.
“Centrists won the big enchilada, the presidential race,” said Jim Kessler, an executive vice president at the moderate Third Way, citing Joe Biden’s triumph over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for the party’s nomination. Kessler wasn’t impressed with the three progressive challengers who defeated Democratic incumbents, either.
“If this is what they call a win, they can have this cycle every two years for the next 20,” he said. “I’d be thrilled.”