{
  "id": 16317205,
  "title": "The Spirit of “Party Unity, My Ass” Is Back and Coming for the DSA (and El-Sayed)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/the-spirit-of-party-unity-my-ass-is-back-and-coming-for-the-dsa-and-16317205",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-24T10:52:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Intercept",
    "slug": "the-intercept-theintercept",
    "url": "https://theintercept.com/2026/10/24/centrist-democrats-dsa-el-sayed/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The spirit of the 2008 Democratic Party protest movement, known as PUMA, has resurfaced, directed at the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and their preferred candidates. This sentiment emerged after candidates chosen by DSA-aligned progressives won multiple party primaries and are set to assist Democrats in gaining control of Congress. However, once in power, they are likely to demand significant policy changes that may disrupt long-standing, donor-friendly legislation. Moderate Democrats view \"party unity\" as a goal only if it forces the left wing of the party to align with their preferred candidate. Should it be up to them to vote for someone with different goals, their support might be otherwise.\n\nJames Carville, a strategist involved in Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, expressed on The Bulwark podcast that he would prefer a Republican hold on Congress over a narrow Democratic majority, as he believes the Democrats would then be beholden to the DSA. However, Bill Kristol, who had previously promoted Sarah Palin and is now a self-proclaimed Democrat, pushed back, stating he would rather win the election. The former strategist was among the few to advocate for a Republican victory rather than a shift of power to the Democratic left.\n\nMaine Governor Janet Mills has yet to endorse the Democratic Party's Senate nominee, Troy Jackson, following her loss to Graham Platner. This lack of support could further exacerbate the situation. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee, has faced challenges since winning his party's primary. The main opposition has come from within his party and among liberals, who question his positions and allege links to extreme elements of Islam. One op-ed published by two Michigan Democrats urged voters to abstain from voting for El-Sayed, tying him to dangerous rhetoric and extreme policies. This strategy effectively placed the Senate seat in the hands of Republican Mike Rogers, a Trump ally.\n\nThe backlash against El-Sayed has not been limited to Michigan; it has spread across the country, revealing a growing existential crisis among Democratic leaders who fear losing power to the left wing of the party. Former Intercept writer Jon Schwarz noted that the people controlling institutions prioritize their power within the institution over the power of the institution itself. As such, the attacks on the left are likely to backfire, leaving the Democrats' centrist wing even less empowered than before.\n\nEl-Sayed is currently polling slightly ahead of Republican Mike Rogers, and over 95 percent of Michigan voters support him. Despite the opposition, all the criticism may ultimately prove futile for the centrist Democrats. The outcome of this struggle is ideal for the party, its base, and the country, but the centrists are reluctant to take that step to prevent their own irrelevance.",
  "summary": "Centrist Democrats’ calls to fall in line behind the party’s nominee only ever seem to cut one way — and fall apart when their candidate loses. The post The Spirit of “Party Unity, My Ass” Is Back and Coming for the DSA (and El-Sayed) appeared first on The Intercept .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}