Don't Squander the Momentum — Push Harder

The wins in New York are real. Zohran Mamdani-backed candidates just took three House primaries, and what did progressives do with that leverage? Brad Lander and AOC immediately pledged support to Hakeem Jeffries — no concessions, no demands, nothing. That's not coalition building. That's surrendering a winning hand before the cards hit the table. If Democrats take the House and Senate in November, newly elected progressives need to demand new party leadership and hold the line on it. A written floor under progressive votes. A ban on congressional stock trading. Closing the revolving door between Congress and lobbying. Ending arms shipments to Israel. Real investment in housing, energy, and healthcare. These aren't wish-list items — they're the baseline. The Tea Party built enormous power by refusing to sit down when they were winning. Progressives can do the same, and unlike the Tea Party, this movement is trying to build something, not burn it down. The voters who sent these candidates to Washington didn't do it so they could fall in line. They did it to change who holds power and how it gets used. When you're winning, that's exactly when you push harder.