Establishment Democrats: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT. join hands together following a campaign rally last month in Detroit, Michigan.

Politics

The Myth of the Establishment Democrat

by David Masciotra August 27, 2026August 27, 2026

Establishment is used as a description and even a slur, but it’s really just misleading.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., left, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., right, speak during a round table discussion on the high cost of housing, on Capitol Hill, January 7, 2026, in Washington.

Politics

Democratic Voters Are Boiling Mad at the Democratic Establishment, and It’s Ridiculous

by Bill Scher August 4, 2026August 10, 2026

U.S. Senate Democratic primary candidates Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens debate on July 27, 2026, in Southfield, Michigan.

Politics

How Left Will Democrats Go In 2028? That Depends on 2026

by Bill Scher July 31, 2026August 10, 2026

Evan Barker talks to Bernie Sanders, who ran for the Democratic Party’s nomination in 2016.

Books

Evan Barker’s Magical Mystery Tour

by Nate Weisberg July 28, 2026August 10, 2026

Jane Kim, a former San Francisco City Supervisor, topped California's June insurance commissioner primary on a platform of public disaster insurance.

Politics

Can a Bernie-Backed Populist Fix California’s Home Insurance Crisis?

by Kainoa Lowman July 13, 2026July 13, 2026

Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for US Senate, speaks to the media in Bangor, Maine.

Politics

Graham Platner and the Working-Class Fetish

by Matthew Cooper July 7, 2026July 8, 2026

DSA's recent string of left-wing primary upsets has been framed as a revolt against Democratic moderates. But the defeated were progressives.

Politics

The Fight in the Democratic Party Is Not Left vs. Center, But Left vs. Left

by Bill Scher July 2, 2026July 1, 2026

Abdul El-Sayed, Mallory McMorrow, and Haley Stevens are battling for Michigan’s Democratic Senate nomination, but the bruising fight may be helping Republican Mike Rogers most.

Politics

Michigan’s Democratic Senate Primary Needs a Non-Aggression Pact

by Bill Scher May 15, 2026May 14, 2026

College-Educated Working Class: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders rally with Starbucks workers pushing to unionize for better pay and working conditions.

Books

Frappuccino Socialists

by Kenneth S. Baer April 7, 2026May 5, 2026

Attention Abroad: U.S. President Donald Trump provides an update on the Attack on Iran at a Medal of Honor Ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 2, 2026.

Health Care

Reform on Ice

by Merrill Goozner March 5, 2026March 5, 2026

Support the Washington Monthly

Founded in 1969, the Washington Monthly is an independent media organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission: To preserve democracy and champion good governance through honest journalism and thoughtful commentary.

We’re not a subsidiary of a giant media company or a mouthpiece for ideologues. We’re independent, listened to by insiders and willing to take on sacred cows—liberal and conservative.

Yes, I'll Make a Donation

Bernie Sanders

The Myth of the Establishment Democrat

Democratic Voters Are Boiling Mad at the Democratic Establishment, and It’s Ridiculous

How Left Will Democrats Go In 2028? That Depends on 2026

Evan Barker’s Magical Mystery Tour

Can a Bernie-Backed Populist Fix California’s Home Insurance Crisis?

Graham Platner and the Working-Class Fetish

The Fight in the Democratic Party Is Not Left vs. Center, But Left vs. Left

Michigan’s Democratic Senate Primary Needs a Non-Aggression Pact

Frappuccino Socialists

Reform on Ice

A Fitting End for Trump’s Gaudy Ballroom

The New Normal in Kyiv, Ukraine

How to Build a Big Tent

The Swastika and the Red Hat

A Different Kind of College Ranking

After the Closures

How Online Algorithms Rig the College Search Process

Never miss an article!