Op-ed: The 2026 midterms are approaching, and it’s already rough for the establishment

Op-ed: The 2026 midterms are approaching, and it’s already rough for the establishment Op-ed: The 2026 midterms are approaching, and it’s already rough for the establishment Magnus Moseley, contributor October 13, 2026 A photo graphic featuring Zohran Mamdani (left), Katie Wilson and Abdul El-Sayed (right) in front of a map of the United States. The upcoming midterms elections in states like Michigan, Georgia and Maine are key targets for democrats. Photo courtesy Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Wikimedia Commons, U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Wikimedia Commons and Wilson for Seattle Campaign, Wikimedia Commons. Graphic by Margot Murphy. The 2026 midterms are going to play a large role in the future of American party politics. So far, aggressive internal party battles for state primaries have isolated the Democratic and Republican establishments from their more extreme wings.  Competition in the primaries is an important vetting process to expand the options available to the American people. This election cycle however has been particularly polarizing due to the concerns over special interest donations from super PACs, and the radical nature of far left or right candidates.   Within the Democratic party, the progressives challenge to the establishment seems to bode well for the future of the party. Ever since President Donald Trump’s reelection in 2024, the Democratic establishment has been in desperate need of some form of character and a new political strategy. Right now, progressive candidates are taking advantage of this lack of character, and it’s making them more competitive than ever.  One of the most significant and polarizing things in American politics is large campaign donations and super PACs. This issue came up often in the Michigan Senate Democratic primary between Abdul El-Sayed, a former executive director of the Detroit Health Department, and moderate-leaning Congresswoman Haley Stevens. Stevens has experience working under the Obama administration in restoring jobs in Michigan, but found herself embroiled in several controversies involving super PAC donations as well as her general character. Stevens received 35 million dollars from the America Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. AIPAC is a controversial lobbying group, as it advocates for the political goals of a foreign nation without oversight from the Foreign Agents Restriction Act, and Israel’s current involvement in a complicated geopolitical conflict has not helped AIPAC’s reputation. Their ability to throw wads of cash at any race they please has made Americans less confident in thinking their vote truly matters.  El-Sayed was not only effective at pointing out Rep. Stevens’ corporate donations, but his charming personality swayed Michigan voters and put him on top. Rep. Stevens seemed to inflate her resume calling herself an “Obama Chief of Staff” while trying to attack El-Sayed by questioning his allegiance to Michigan. All El-Sayed had to do in response was call out her corporate background and establish his clearly more equitable economic plan for Michiganders. The Republicans are also being challenged by the far right. The issue their party faces differs from the Democrats, in that their party culture is less self loathing, and more often than not, they are able to rally around individual candidates. If you are not the main person on the ticket in the primaries, you need to find a way to stick out. Oftentimes this leads to radical ideas and political extremism playing a part in a candidate’s campaigns. More so now than ever we are seeing the growth of the far right through social media and political norms mimicking the political strategy and rhetoric of the Trump administration.  The Florida Gubernatorial Republican primary is a great example of candidates trying to stick out like a sore thumb. James Fishback is an anti-establishment and highly controversial candidate that sits in the confusing Fuentesian far right. His rise in popularity can be attributed to his offensive, practically racist demeanor while holding some seemingly progressive stances on data centers and the rights to small businesses. To the political outsider, he might appear as an uncensored hero willing to speak his mind on anything and willing to fight for Floridians, but to others he has a nonsensical political agenda with questionable ethics and a concerning way of presenting himself.  Fishback lost the Florida primary by about 600,000 votes, but his “movement” gained some attention. Politico published a piece about his ability to gain influence on social media and resonate with the under-35 age group of Floridian voters. His relatability comes from his uncensored attitude, something that is seen in many younger politicians and political commentators these days.  In general, the functions of the far right are being propagated to us in plain sight. X, 4Chan and even the president’s own Truth Social are breeding grounds for extremist views and their normalization in everyday politics.  To state the obvious, Americans are growing more and more sick of the current system. Voters want to replace the people in office who are currently responsible for an ever-growing wealth gap and complicated geopolitical atmosphere. Even if these far out candidates who won their primaries are not successful in their respective general elections, this midterm cycle will start painting a picture on who each party is going to try and nominate for the 2028 presidential elections.  Although both parties hold significantly different views on important election topics, the move away from centrist and establishment candidates is huge and a test of the resilience of both parties. After the new Congress begins, the Democrats need to unite to hold the Trump administration’s executive in check. The Republicans need to continue to execute Project 2025 and set up appropriations in a way that strengthens our military and guarantees the future of our bureaucratic systems.     Will the Republicans find another Trump-adjacent figure like Vivek Ramsawamy or Vice President J.D. Vance to please the edgy but dying MAGA popularity? Are Democrats going to rely on a strong progressive bid from someone like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14)  or former Vice President Kamala Harris again? Based on how these current elections are going, it is clear voters are looking for a new type of politician. With progressive and anti-establishment candidates on the rise, the depth of American politics is going to be much more than left vs right in the near future. Will we see a famous third-party bid with debate representation for the first time since Ross Perot in the 1990s? Are Americans themselves growing more radical? It’s going to be an interesting build up for these midterms, but we need to vote to keep America safe, keep America secure and guarantee the rights of all who reside in it.  Magnus Moseley is a third-year politics, philosophy and economics major. He can be reached at [email protected] If you would like to submit a letter to the editor in response to this piece, email [email protected] with your idea. 6 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story Tags: politics More to Discover More in Opinion Op-ed: Assimilation, accents and how to be American enough Op-ed: Are we finally ready to address sexual assault on campuses head on? Op-ed: What Bo French got wrong about being American Op-ed: Northeastern students say they care about climate change, but individual habits matter too Op-ed: What romance movies can teach us about male incompetence Column: Dolly Parton transcended politics by putting humanity first