[Reuters] Progressive candidates continue to rack up wins in primary elections across the United States, propelled by a new left-wing media ecosystem allowing them to build a national profile on their own terms -- and sidestep the traditional gatekeepers of the Democratic establishment.
For Pennsylvania state Representative Chris Rabb, a Democratic socialist who recently prevailed in a congressional primary against a more moderate rival, appearances on programs like "The Majority Report with Sam Seder" and "Breaking Points" played a key role in his political breakthrough.
"It helps me increase my visibility, validation and ability to raise money,” said Rabb, describing it as “a Venn diagram of success.”
This fast-growing world of left-wing websites, podcasters, YouTube hosts and livestreamers – many of whom blend opinion journalism and activism – affords candidates a sympathetic space to sharpen their message and mobilize grassroots support. But it also risks deepening the fissures in the Democratic Party, analysts say, and alienating moderates in the coalition.
On Tuesday, progressive Abdul El-Sayed eked out a victory in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary against Haley Stevens, the preferred candidate of the party establishment.
El-Sayed, a former state health official and a rising star in left-wing media, was massively outspent in television advertising -- funded by tens of millions of dollars from pro-Israel and other outside groups -- but still managed to win in a swing state carried by Republican President Donald Trump in 2024.
New media entrepreneurs say they are filling a void in mainstream political coverage and providing a platform for candidates with views that have long been underrepresented in Washington. They include advocacy for universal healthcare, abolishing ICE and cutting off military aid to Israel.
“There is an audience and a demand and a hunger for different viewpoints,” said Mehdi Hasan, a former MSNBC host who launched his own news organization, Zeteo, in 2024.
“The same energy that enabled us to be a success as a media entity has enabled a lot of political candidates to be successes.”
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