A leading moderate Democratic organization is preparing what its president calls “the next war” within the party — a $15 million campaign to counter the growing influence of democratic socialism ahead of the 2028 presidential election, according to the New York Times.
Jonathan Cowan, president of Third Way, a centrist Democratic group, revealed the new initiative in response to recent electoral gains by progressive candidates, particularly the victory of Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed in Tuesday’s Michigan primary.
“We are preparing for the next war that is coming,” Cowan told the Times, outlining the effort that will run through 2028.
The announcement comes as fault lines within the Democratic Party appear to be deepening, with establishment figures increasingly voicing concern about the party’s leftward drift.
Michigan Primary Sparks Alarm
El-Sayed, a public health official who previously ran unsuccessfully for Michigan governor in 2018, defeated establishment Democrat Rep. Haley Stevens in Tuesday’s primary. While El-Sayed is not a formal member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), he received strong support from prominent democratic socialists including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who campaigned for him over several months.
For moderate Democrats, the victory represented more than a single primary loss. Cowan expressed particular concern about the location of El-Sayed’s win. “It is deeply troubling to see radical, far-left candidates winning in places that are potentially presidential swing states,” he said.
Third Way’s fear, according to the Times, is that El-Sayed’s success could pave the way for a progressive candidate to capture the party’s presidential nomination in 2028 — only to lose in the general election.
Prominent Democrats Sound Warnings
The moderate pushback extends beyond organizational efforts. Several high-profile Democrats have recently voiced opposition to socialist influence in the party.
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has been particularly outspoken, warning against the rising influence of socialists and communists within Democratic ranks. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Fetterman specifically criticized the prominence given to Hasan Piker, a socialist livestreamer on Twitch.
“I would never try to elevate… a communist just because [Piker] has followers on some, on Twitch, whatever that is,” Fetterman said. “But overall, if you identify with a communist who praises Mao and Cuba and for these places, that should be foreign to any Democrat. Without a doubt, that’s having an impact.”
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville has drawn an even harder line. “I am not going to be in the same party with Hasan Piker, I can tell you that right now,” Carville said. “If he becomes a force in the Democratic Party, I’m out of here.”
Socialist Rhetoric Fuels Tensions
The concerns among moderates appear partly driven by increasingly confrontational rhetoric from the party’s socialist wing. During a recent speech, Piker — wearing a suit styled after those worn by Chinese dictator Mao Zedong — delivered sharp criticism of mainstream Democrats.
“No more to the Democrats who compromise, who conciliate, and who betray us,” Piker said. “No more to the fascist reactionaries, but no more to the Democrats who will collaborate and cooperate with the fascists, who will fund ICE, who will fund Israel, who will help poison the planet, who will stiff workers and help bosses. We don’t need those Democrats anymore.”
Battle for Party Direction
The emerging conflict represents a fundamental disagreement over the Democratic Party’s electoral strategy and ideological identity. Moderate groups like Third Way argue that progressive candidates may energize the base but ultimately prove too left-wing to win general elections, particularly in swing states critical to presidential victories.
Democratic socialists, meanwhile, contend that bold progressive policies — including Medicare for All, aggressive climate action, and opposition to corporate influence — better represent the party’s future and can mobilize voters who have become disengaged from traditional politics.
With the 2028 presidential race still more than two years away, Third Way’s $15 million campaign signals that moderate Democrats are not waiting to engage in this intraparty struggle. The coming months will likely see both wings of the party working to define what it means to be a Democrat and who should lead the party into the next election cycle.
The outcome of this internal battle could have significant implications not just for the 2028 presidential primary, but for Democratic prospects in congressional and state-level races across the country, particularly in the swing states that both factions view as critical to electoral success.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/08/06/nyt-moderate-democrats-gear-up-war-is-coming-democratic-socialists/