Sunrise Movement co-founder Will Lawrence is the latest progressive candidate to notch an upset Democratic House primary win — this time in a key battleground district in Michigan.
Why it matters: The seat is a top target for Democrats in November, but party leaders fear that Lawrence’s left-leaning politics will make it much harder to win.
- Several top House Democratic moderates expressed the view to Axios last month that Lawrence cannot beat Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) in Michigan’s 7th District.
- But progressives have pushed back, arguing that concerns about Lawrence’s viability in the general election are based on an outmoded metric of electability.
Driving the news: Lawrence defeated Bridget Brink, a former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, and Matt Maasdam, a former Navy SEAL and military aide to President Obama, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
- The outcome is what party leaders in both Michigan and D.C. had feared for weeks — that Maasdam and Brink would split the moderate vote and create an opening for Lawrence to win.
- The race split the establishment down the middle, with the Democratic Women’s Caucus backing Brink while Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) threw her support behind Maasdam.
Zoom out: Lawrence is one of several progressives who have beaten more establishment-aligned candidates in key swing districts this election cycle.
- Progressive activist and political science professor Randy Villegas beat moderate California State Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains in the race to take on Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.).
- In Maine, progressive state Auditor Matt Dunlap won a primary victory over establishment-backed Joe Baldacci in the seat of retiring Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine).
- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee backed Bains and Baldacci but did not take a side in Michigan’s 7th District.
