Latest US primary results show limits of progressive wave

This week’s primary results showed mixed results for progressives, with a continued overall rejection of AIPAC by Democratic voters. 

The biggest election night news by far was the defeat of progressive candidate for Wisconsin governor Francesca Hong, who had been ahead in the polls days before the election. She was beat by a razor-thin margin by moderate David Crowley, after her opponents focused on a past comment she made suggesting canceling Thanksgiving.

As with many primaries, the result appeared to come down to electability in a swing state where Democrats will have to appeal to moderates and independents in November. Like the tight Senate race in Michigan the previous week, Hong was quick to endorse Crowley, and the Wisconsin Democrats immediately started a statewide unity tour.

“I think winning became the most important criteria,” David Frank, professor of rhetoric and political communication at the University of Oregon, told The New Arab. “They’ll embrace a significant number of the DSA [Democratic Socialists of America] policies. The key is for the two wings of the Democratic Party to find common ground.”

In Minnesota, the epicentre of months-long anti-ICE demonstrations, progressive Peggy Flanagan beat establishment-backed Angie Craig by nearly 20 percentage points in the Democratic Senate primary. In her victory speech, she vowed to “rip ICE apart.” If elected in November, she would be the first Native American US senator.

On the Republican side, Trump-endorsed pillow executive Mike Lindell lost his bid for nomination for governor by more than 10 percentage points. He has yet to concede the race, and has suggested that errors took place in the vote counting.

Also in Minnesota, notable for its lack of fanfare, was the primary win of Ilhan Omar, who advanced in her Democratic House primary with 80 percent of the vote without a serious challenge from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) or other big donors.

In Connecticut, John Larson, an AIPAC-backed House candidate, who has been in office since 1999, was defeated by Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, who has been campaigned on affordability and has said he is against sending US tax dollars for offensive weapons to Israel.

AIPAC, which has long been a staple in US elections and policymaking, has become increasingly toxic in Democratic elections, and a growing number of politicians are rejecting the Israel lobbyist’s support, seeing it as a liability.

Some progressives have successfully campaigned on their opposition to AIPAC.