When Democrats campaigned to retake Congress after Donald Trump’s first election victory, a particular type of candidate emerged in response to the party’s perceived woes: a suburban, college-educated woman, usually a political moderate.
Those candidates fueled Democrats’ “blue wave” victories in 2018. Now, back in the political wilderness again, some Democrats believe a different type of candidate could be the answer for their 2026 hopes: a blue-collar populist guy.
From Senate races in Maine and Kentucky to House races in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, an eclectic set of Democratic candidates has come forward, who, rather than touting their political histories or elite resumes, talk of their experiences as mechanics, farmers, and bartenders.
