Say Goodnight, New Democrats. It’s the Era of the New New Democrats.
In a New Republic column, editor Michael Tomasky argues the 2026 Senate wins of economic populists Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and James Talarico in Texas end the era when Democrats had to run cautious centrists to win in purple or red states. He recalls the 1990s New Democrat formula and holds up Erskine Bowles, who lost two North Carolina Senate races, as its emblem, noting opponents poured some $200 million into attacks that failed anyway. Tomasky expects some moderates will still win, but says by 2028 no one can call populist nominees unelectable in Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Florida, or perhaps Missouri.
