A Democratic party establishment used to crowning its chosen Senate candidates in uncontested primaries is suddenly facing stiff resistance in key battleground states.
The pushback is raising the possibility of a bitter conflict between the party’s leaders in Washington and its grassroots voters during next year’s primaries — one that could threaten the Democrats’ ability to win important swing states in its fight to win a Senate majority in 2026.
In four general election battleground states, including Iowa, Texas, Michigan and Maine, Democrats are grappling with turbulent primaries, in which a restless liberal electorate is chafing at the preferred pick of Democratic leaders. Candidates in some cases are explicitly campaigning against the party’s leaders, positioning themselves as alternatives to an establishment they say failed to defeat President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential race.