US voters deserve better
There isn’t a very clear future for the US Democratic Party
As the 2026 Midterm Elections come closer for our southern neighbours, we will continue to see more heated rivalries emerge and distinguish themselves within the opposition US Democratic Party.
While progressive factions have been prominent in the party for nearly a decade now, the inadequate and unpopular response that the second Trump administration by the current Democratic leadership (DNC) has caused a large disruption within the party base, tanking leadership approval and giving voice to legacy progressive candidates in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D NY-14) as well as electing underdog candidates such as Zohran Mandani in New York.
There’s no question about the outcome of the House of Representatives in November; the Democrats are projected to win in large numbers. While the Senate generally remains unfavourable to the Democrats by nature, new races in Maine, Texas, Iowa, and Alaska have possibly opened up the chance for a total liberal victory in Congress in November.
Furthermore, while it’s hard to predict what will happen in 2028, it would not be too extraordinarily unlikely that a left-wing ticket crushes any Republican candidate. All this has occurred despite DNC leadership, not because of it. Approval ratings remain low for how well the rest of the party polls, and most voters do not think the party is doing enough to contest Trump’s authoritarian agenda. While a feature of democratic politics, it’s not the sole focus of a political party to win elections and nothing else. There’s still an important component to politics apart from this: actually governing. While the Democrats might see successes this year, there still isn’t a clear outlook for the future of the party.
Despite his surprisingly good effort at uniting House Democrats when dealing with critical votes, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries retains an extremely poor record among Democratic voters. He is unable to relay authenticity to Democratic voters on important issues, most importantly relate to Israel and to ICE enforcement. Regarding the former, he has consistently supported Zionist efforts and lent immense political support to the state of Israel since October 2023, despite it being clear that young voters are increasingly viewing Israel in a more negative light in response to their genocidal campaign in Gaza. The latter issue is more recent, as he has been unable to take a substantive stance against ICE funding, despite a number of Democrats now vowing to review ICE’s funding in the next budget in response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
These two issues show that Jeffries is not a leader suitable for the House, so who comes next? The benefit of picking a House speaker is that there is a very large pool to choose from, and it’s realistically possible for any House member to throw their hat in the ring.
While there are a good handful, one stands out above them all, and that’s Ro Khanna (D C-17). Despite spending less than a decade in his seat, Khanna has made a large name for himself by adopting both a progressive and populist stance against the Republicans and Democratic establishment. His popularity in recent months has exploded both for being the first elected Democrat to call for the resignation of DNC Senate leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), while also supporting a Palestinian state, advocating for universal healthcare, and most recently, teaming up with Thomas Massie (R KY-4) to force Trump to release the Epstein files. Khanna has, as such, proven to be an extremely effective leader in the short time he has had in the House, and would likely be a seasoned Democrat by 2030, which would pose well for a leadership bid.
Unlike the House, the Senate Democrats are already in flames. Schumer’s popularity is at an all-time low, and polls indicate he could be ousted of his Senate position by AOC if she became a challenger. Also unlike the House, there really aren’t that many Senators, meaning whoever seeks a leadership bid has to do so only if they are a serious candidate.
While there are a few, only one really spells a positive future for the Democrats, and that’s Chris Van Hollen (D-ML). Already a seasoned Congressman, Hollen has picked up immense traction since last year, when he publicly visited El Salvador to meet Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported by the Trump administration. His politics are progressive as well. He has strongly supported expanding healthcare, is pro-choice, and supports LGBTQ+ rights. Additionally, he opposed Israel’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank and was one of just 11 Senators who sided with Bernie Sanders to halt arms sales. His experience and strong positions make him the ideal candidate for Senate leader, even as soon as this mid-term if the Democrats can get the flips they need and Schumer decides to end his tenure early.
Finally, the presidency.
While polling remains tenuous, Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom are the two frontrunners. If either of these two candidates runs, it would be an extremely poor decision.
Harris was firmly rejected by American voters in 2024, and her inconsistent stance on issues like Palestine and transgender rights should immediately be a disqualifier for a party that wants to make itself seem authentic. Newsom on the other hand has not outlawed penal slavery and has ordered vicious crackdowns on homeless communities. Not to mention, he has remained the center of attention for Republican attacks, making it extremely difficult for him to win large swaths of the Rust Belt, bible-belt, and South.
There are almost an infinite number of tickets that could be proposed, but in the interest of time, I believe the best presidential ticket is JB Pritzker. Governor of Illinois, he has taken a hard stance against Trump and recently sued the administration over their ICE deployments. Furthermore, while a billionaire, he is a firm progressive and even a socialist. He is capable of reaching many different economic classes while embracing elements of anti-Trumpism, social democracy, and populism.
There is one group which Pritzker cannot grasp on his own as a Jewish politician, however, and that’s practicing Christians—particularily those afraid of losing the “Christian values” of the US. To try and amend this, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear should be on the ticket as the VP. While not a socialist himself, Beshear has managed to keep a hold on his governorship in a deep red state by framing his progressive policies in the context of his faith. This ticket would likely cover the majority of important groups needed to capture most of the people needed to form an informal coalition while also keeping Congress on their side — especially if Congressional Democrats sway more left.
American voters deserve better, they’ve made this clear to the Democrats. Liberals in Washington need to respond in turn and commit to the radical changes their voters are looking for.
