Opinion

DOUG SCHOEN: Democratic battle pits moderates vs. progressives for soul of the party

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's fundraising dominance and progressive coalition could push Democrats left

By Doug Schoen Fox News

Published April 3, 2026 5:00am EDT

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Veteran Democratic party strategist James Carville gloated that Democrats after the midterms will have the power to investigate Trump, his family, and their spouses.

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Democrats are undoubtedly favored to retake the House in November’s midterms, and their odds of taking the Senate have jumped in recent weeks.

Political betting site Polymarket gives Democrats an 86% chance to take the House, and now they even have a slight lead in the Senate.

That said, the prospects for Democrats’ short-term success may be overshadowing what could be a defining moment in American politics.

Specifically, Democrats’ intra-party dispute over which wing of the party will control their direction, messaging, ideas and principles: the seemingly moderate establishment or anti-establishment progressives?

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Protesters hold signs and flags near US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort during the "No Kings" national day of protest, in Palm Beach, Florida, on May 28, 2026. (Giorgio VIERA / AFP via Getty Images)

This fight will also determine who will be the party’s standard bearer for the 2028 presidential election.

It is not a new conflict, although with midterms approaching – not to mention the 2028 campaign beginning to take shape – it has taken on renewed importance.

The end of April’s "No Kings" rally, initiated by the far-left wing, was embraced by both wings of the party, underscoring the growing influence of the extreme wing of the party over tactics, strategy, and messaging.

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Moreover, reports emerged stating that progressive Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Tina Smith, D-Minn., met to gauge support for removing Sen. Chuck Schumer as Senate minority leader.

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Schumer appears to be the latest casualty in this battle, one which has metastasized to pull in all Democrats, as the entire party has moved further to the left.

Unfortunately for those of us who believe that the health of American democracy is tied to having two viable parties, as the far-left forces the party further from the center, national Democrats may be setting themselves up for electoral suicide.

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Put another way, in order to be competitive, establishment Democrats must assert themselves with a more moderate agenda, rejecting progressive ideas on hot-button issues like transgender policies, ICE and immigration, and diversity, equity,........

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