Is the Democratic Party starting to moderate?

[Michie]

Most of the news these days about Democratic candidates for public office focuses on a singular figure, Zohran Mamdani, running for mayor of New York. The suddenly popular 33-year-old member of the state legislature captured 56% of the vote in the Democrats’ ranked choice primary in June. He has drawn such descriptors as “socialist” or even “communist,” attracting the sobriquets after media-magnet comments on the abolition of the New York Police Department and the creation of city-run grocery stores and free public transit. Mamdani’s stances continue to draw new contenders into the mix as November’s election looms little more than 10 weeks away.

Whatever term fits best, and as senior Democrats wrestle with the question of whether Mamdani’s big government philosophy will hurt the party in more moderate locales in 2026, candidates in the nation’s handful of closely contested races are going out of their way to strike a temperate tone. Next year’s House, Senate, and state (most of them) elections are still 14 months away, but the narratives are already shaping up as appeals to everyday concerns in a national and global economy whose defining shape isn’t completely clear. One thing, however, does seem to be acquiring clarity — that is, will the 2026 Democrats amend their views on social policies like abortion and transgenderism? The answer so far appears to be no.

Continued below.

https://washingtonstand.com/article/the-new-democratic-moderation

 

[chevyontheriver]

Most of the news these days about Democratic candidates for public office focuses on a singular figure, Zohran Mamdani, running for mayor of New York. The suddenly popular 33-year-old member of the state legislature captured 56% of the vote in the Democrats’ ranked choice primary in June. He has drawn such descriptors as “socialist” or even “communist,” attracting the sobriquets after media-magnet comments on the abolition of the New York Police Department and the creation of city-run grocery stores and free public transit. Mamdani’s stances continue to draw new contenders into the mix as November’s election looms little more than 10 weeks away.

Whatever term fits best, and as senior Democrats wrestle with the question of whether Mamdani’s big government philosophy will hurt the party in more moderate locales in 2026, candidates in the nation’s handful of closely contested races are going out of their way to strike a temperate tone. Next year’s House, Senate, and state (most of them) elections are still 14 months away, but the narratives are already shaping up as appeals to everyday concerns in a national and global economy whose defining shape isn’t completely clear. One thing, however, does seem to be acquiring clarity — that is, will the 2026 Democrats amend their views on social policies like abortion and transgenderism? The answer so far appears to be no.

Continued below.

https://washingtonstand.com/article/the-new-democratic-moderation

In rare districts Democrats might be able to moderate a bit. But a bit of moderation from woke hysteria is still pretty hysterically woke. For the most part the activist core of the party is hysterically woke and wants to take the party even farther in that direction. I don't think they can change. Except for a few here and there I don't think they want to change.

 

[Tuur]

Is the Democrat party starting to moderate?