Levin argued that the party establishment bears responsibility for the internal challenges they now face from progressive contenders.
"The results of that are understandable primary challenges from people who want to see a Democratic party that fights, that isn’t beholden to special interests or to corporate money, and want … an actual opposition party in this country.
For Democratic party leadership, this result was entirely avoidable. They’re reaping what they sowed," Levin said.
Centrist Democrats expressed severe concern over the progressive victories, fearing the far-left platforms could be used to damage moderate candidates in highly competitive swing districts.
"It’s a bummer, and it’s a problem – not because there’s any danger of losing those districts to Republicans, but because those kinds of candidates and their ideas and rhetoric can be weaponised against Democrats running in tough races.
We’ve seen this before, with ‘Defund the police’, and we’re worried about it happening again," said Matt Bennett, executive vice-president of public affairs at Third Way.
Former lawmakers warned that conservative media outlets would utilize radical statements from the left wing to define the entire identity of the Democratic party.
"Democrats have given Republicans a huge fucking gift.
Republicans will do what I used to do: one crazy lefty says ‘defund the police’, and then Republicans and conservative media tag the whole party with ‘defund the police’.
They’re gonna try to make the whole party out to be crazy, America-hating, democratic socialists and, to a degree, it’ll work," said Joe Walsh, a former Republican congressman.
