In case you missed it,
Democrat leadership is unhappy with Bernie Sanders as he fans the flames of the
party’s midterm infighting by backing far-left candidates against sitting
incumbents.
You can read the full story here
or see highlights below.
Bernie blowback: How
Sanders’ primary endorsements have sparked a Democratic midterm war
CNN
July 19, 2026
Sen. Bernie Sanders had just
announced his intent to unseat a sitting House Democrat — this time, a member
of the Congressional Black Caucus from North Carolina — when Rep. Hakeem
Jeffries decided it was time to confront Sanders himself.
The House Democratic leader
warned Sanders against meddling in House primaries, particularly one involving
a Black Democrat, in such a critical midterm election year, according to three
Democrats familiar with the conversation.
[…]
Sanders and his political
operation are under new scrutiny over his backing of the now-disgraced former
candidate Graham Platner in Maine’s Senate race. Even after The New York Times
reported on allegations of Platner's unsettling behavior toward women, Sanders
stood by Platner, saying, “There are no saints in the United States Senate.”
[…]
“Bernie has endorsed some
flawed candidates recently,” Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten of Michigan said.
“I think it’s really important to look at the judgment that has been exercised.
The Graham Platner situation should be a huge warning sign to a lot of voters
about what that stamp of approval might mean.”
[…]
In the Senate, Sanders has
backed El-Sayed, whose pursuit of “Medicare for All” and criticisms of Israel
and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee have made him a darling of the
progressive left.
The party establishment is
coalescing behind Rep. Haley Stevens, a more moderate Democrat from the Detroit
area who is pitching herself as the most electable against the likely GOP
nominee, former Rep. Mike Rogers.
[…]
But Sanders’ critics say he
is trying to shift the party in a direction that most voters will reject
outside of the very liberal districts where members of the Democratic
Socialists of America have won primaries.
“The DSA, which Bernie’s
part of, is trying to hijack the Democratic Party, and what you’re seeing is
people don’t want that,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a centrist and pro-Israel
Democrat from New Jersey. “The Democratic Party wants to be the Democratic Party,
and he’s trying to use the Democratic Party as a vessel for socialism, and
people don’t want socialism.”
[...]
