Democrats have a chance to demonstrate what democracy should look like

It's primary season for the 2024 midterm elections. Here's a helpful list of when those elections will take place over the coming months.

In almost every state, there are races (local, state, and/or national) where Democrats are running against Democrats. That presents an opportunity for the party to engage in what former President Obama called, "a better politics."

Imagine if we broke out of these tired old patterns. Imagine if we did something different. Understand, a better politics isn’t one where Democrats progressives abandon their agenda or Republicans centrists simply embrace mine. A better politics is one where we appeal to each other’s basic decency instead of our basest fears. A better politics is one where we debate without demonizing each other; where we talk issues and values, and principles and facts, rather than “gotcha” moments, or trivial gaffes, or fake controversies that have nothing to do with people’s daily lives...

If we’re going to have arguments, let’s have arguments, but let’s make them debates worthy... of this country.

In these days when our democratic republic is at risk, Democrats have an opportunity to show the country what our politics could look like. Candidates could "debate their ideas without demonizing each other; talk issues and values and principles and facts." I suspect that, with the constant demonization and dehumanization coming from the right, most voters would welcome a refreshing change. 

I've been thinking about that a lot after I decided that it was time to educate myself about a social media influencer named Hasan Piker. While I'd seen his name occasionally, I hadn't paid much attention and, like most Democrats didn't really know who he was.

Then a few weeks ago, a clip of Piker being interviewed by Jon Favreau showed up on my Facebook timeline. So I watched it. Favreau was questioning Piker's statement that he wouldn't vote for Gavin Newsom in a 2028 presidential race against J.D. Vance. As if that wasn't bad enough, Piker went on to suggest that the "Democratic Party" needs to find a "good candidate" that can appeal to him. 

What I would have asked Piker at that point is "who is the Democratic Party?" In the comments, I wrote, "If Gavin Newsom were the 2028 nominee, it would be because Democratic voters chose him in the primary." A lot of the responses claimed that the Democratic Party rigged primaries. Current candidate Graham Platner recently affirmed that idea in this conversation with a former Trump supporter (at the 2:50 minute mark).

I sat down with a Republican who voted for Trump three times.

We had a lot more in common than you would think. pic.twitter.com/ZUVtqk2CQQ

— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) May 4, 2026

Former Trump voter: "Bernie [Sanders] had the nomination and just got replaced."

Platner: "Agreed. Yep, the powers that be wouldn't let him have it so they did what they do."

Need I point out that there is no difference between that statement and Trump's big lie about the 2020 election being rigged? Both of them are not only lies. They are designed to undermine our confidence in elections - the basis of a democratic republic. 

One of the ways that productive debate is silenced is when a candidate is accused to taking a position simply because of corporate and/or PAC contributions. As an example, in the comment section of the Facebook post I referred to up above, I mentioned that I had contributed to Peggy Flanagan's campaign for Senate. I was told that she was simply a "corporate shill." Nevermind that she has been endorsed by Senators Tina Smith, Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Bernie Sanders, etc. because of her record as an independent and progressive politician. These folks simply throw around terms like that to shut down conversations/debates about issues. 

As an example of the way that is playing out in the 2026 primaries, Hasan Piker and the candidate he supports - Chris Rabb - in Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District primary, are accusing his opponents of being secretly funded by AIPAC and therefore in support of Israel's genocide in Gaza. Here's a good summary of why that is not true. 

As Democrats, candidates should have vigorous debates on the issues where they agree and disagree. Then we all go to the polls and vote for the person we think will do the best job of representing us. As we watch that process come under assault by Republicans, we have a chance to demonstrate what real democracy should look like. Let's not blow it!