The Senate races that will define the Democratic Party

Now that primary season has nearly come to a close, the Democratic Party has a better sense of where things stand ahead of the general election, and, in most cases, the next few months ought to be a highly competitive sprint to November’s finish line.

Indeed, a number of key Senate races are shaping up to be toss-ups, for better or for worse.

For the better, Democrat Mary Peltola advanced to the general election for Alaska’s highly coveted Senate seat, which both parties agree is crucial to winning control of the upper chamber.

Notably, with 80 percent of votes counted, Peltola is more than 5 points ahead of Republican Dan Sullivan (approximately 48 percent to 43 percent), providing a glimpse of hope for Democrats who believe Peltola is the only Democratic candidate who could pose a true threat to two-term incumbent Sullivan.

Unlike the progressives emerging from primaries in Texas and Minnesota, Peltola has taken a much less partisan approach, distancing herself from former Vice President Kamala Harris specifically and the national Democratic brand generally — a strategy that may prove to be a defining test for how Democrats can compete in a red-leaning terrain.

While her approach has come under fire from her Republican opponent — who has repeatedly emphasized Peltola’s funding from “Lower 48 liberals” — it may do just enough to make inwards with independents and unaffiliated voters tired of partisan politics as usual.

In a Data for Progress general election poll conducted one day before the primary, Peltola led Sullivan by 6 points (53 percent to 47 percent), largely mirroring her winning margin........

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