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Democrats torn between progressive fire and centrist caution as November elections loom
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Every election season gives us a preview before the main event. This year’s run-up to Nov. 4 has revealed a Democratic Party still searching for its identity.
Across these smaller contests, Democrats are testing what kind of candidate still connects with voters: the loud and unfiltered progressives who dominate headlines or the grounded centrists who still tend to win the districts that decide power.
Zohran Mamdani’s rise in New York is a case study in momentum. He didn’t have establishment backing or big-donor networks. What he had was energy that fills rooms and news cycles. For progressives, he’s become proof that unapologetic politics can still move people.
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor, and socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. (Getty Images)
But Mamdani’s appeal also underscores a tension Democrats haven’t resolved. His message fires up activists, yet it’s unclear whether that same energy reaches the voters nationally who quietly decide elections. He represents a mood, not a majority, and that’s something Democrats need to confront honestly.
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At the same time, two centrist Democrats, Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, are facing their own tests. Both began their campaigns with strong leads over weak Republican opponents. Yet both have stumbled at key moments.
Sherrill had questions raised about her naval record and her explanations on her own finances. Spanberger hesitated to take a clear stand during the Jay Jones texting scandal, trying to balance loyalty and leadership in a moment that demanded decisiveness. Election Day will say a lot about where voters’ patience lies, with authenticity that sometimes goes off-script or with steadiness that sometimes feels too cautious.
Gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, center, campaigns with Jay Jones, Democrats’ candidate for attorney general, and state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, who is running for lieutenant governor, in Fairfax, Virginia, on June 26, 2025. (Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
These aren’t isolated contests; they’re snapshots of the Democratic dilemma.
Progressives like Mamdani bring urgency and passion. Centrists like Sherrill and Spanberger offer credibility and calmness that’s often labeled as boring to the left. The real challenge is that the party keeps treating those qualities as mutually exclusive.
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The New York Times recently argued that moderation isn’t a retreat but a strategy, that the political center isn’t empty, it’s contested. And the new memo from Welcome PAC makes an even stronger point: Democrats need to borrow the best of both worlds, progressive urgency and centrist trust.
That’s not just a message problem, it’s a math problem. Elections are won by coalitions, not cliques.
There’s data to back that up. Research from Third Way shows that Democrats who win in competitive districts tend to fall in the ideological middle, not because voters love moderation for its own sake, but because they reward balance.
The majority of swing voters are still persuadable; they may not tweet, but they vote. The same voters who are unimpressed by slogans still respond to candidates who make moderation feel meaningful. This moment is proof that the party can’t afford to abandon either side of its coalition. Energy matters. So does reach.
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The flip side of that equation is what happens when Democrats mistake charisma for character. In Maine, Graham Platner was supposed to be a rising star, a military veteran with a populist tone and working-class story. Then came the Nazi tattoo scandal, and the race imploded.
His campaign manager recently dropped out and backers like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., are having to explain their continued support. It’s a reminder that excitement without scrutiny is just noise. Voters may crave passion, but they still deserve integrity, and they notice when the party stops vetting in favor of viral candidates.
As we head into Election Day, this is the lesson Democrats can’t miss. Progressives have proven they can ignite a movement. Centrists have proven they can hold ground.
But winning in 2026 and in 2028 will require more than either group acting alone. It will require Democrats who can speak to the voters shouting for change and the ones quietly deciding who governs next.
Either way, Nov. 4 will tell us what kind of Democrat America is still willing to believe in.
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Southeast
Manhunt underway for 3 ‘dangerous’ inmates who broke out of Georgia jail
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Authorities announced Monday that three inmates, possibly armed and considered dangerous, have escaped from a jail in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
Officials said the fugitives escaped early Monday morning from the DeKalb County Jail in Decatur, a northeastern suburb of Atlanta. The inmates were reportedly facing felony charges, including murder, arson and armed robbery.
“Authorities say these fugitives may be armed and are considered dangerous,” the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on social media. “The public is urged to exercise extreme caution and should not approach them.”
The inmates were first discovered missing during a routine security check, officials said. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit, along with uniformed patrol units, is actively working to locate and apprehend the individuals.
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The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said three inmates have escaped from DeKalb County Jail. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)
“We take this breach very seriously and are working diligently to ensure these individuals are safely returned to custody as quickly as possible,” Sheriff Melody M. Maddox said in a statement.
The fugitives have been identified as 24-year-old Stevenson Charles, 31-year-old Yusuf Minor and 25-year-old Naod Yohannes.
According to the U.S. Marshals, Charles is considered “extremely dangerous” and was serving a life sentence at the time of his escape, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
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A manhunt is underway after three inmates escaped from DeKalb County Jail early Monday. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)
Local authorities said Charles had been charged with murder and armed robbery. He has also been accused of child rape, specifically sodomy on a person less than 10 years old, kidnapping, carjacking, aggravated assault, weapons violations and probation violations, Fox 5 reported, citing U.S. Marshals.
He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing approximately 200 pounds. According to U.S. Marshals, he has close ties to both Atlanta and Miami, the local station said.
Authorities urge residents to avoid approaching the possibly armed fugitives. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)
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The Sheriff’s Office added that Minor was charged with two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Yohannes was reportedly charged with simple assault, arson and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution.
Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Tip Line at 404-298-8200.
Fox News Digital reached out to U.S. Marshals for more information.
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Southeast
Pope Leo appoints pro-immigration bishop to diocese home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago
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Pope Leo XIV has announced a pro-immigration pastor as bishop of Palm Beach, Florida, which is home to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.
On Friday, Pope Leo named Rev. Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Queens, New York, as the new bishop of Palm Beach, Florida.
Rodríguez, born in the Dominican Republic and ordained a priest in 2004, has been described as a supporter of immigrant rights.
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Pope Leo XIV has named a pro-immigration pastor as bishop of Palm Beach, Florida, which is home to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)
In an interview with the Associated Press, Rodríguez said, “I never, never, never expected anything even close to this,” and added, “I’m even a little bit scared. But I trust in God’s assistance. One thing I can tell you is that this diocese is a diocese of hard-working priests and hard-working people, and I’m here to help.”
Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is located in the Diocese of Palm Beach, and Rodríguez said he wants to “help” Trump when it comes to immigration.
“The president is doing really good things, not only for the United States, but for the world. But when it comes to the migrant, the immigration policy, we want to help,” Rodriguez told the AP. “We want to assist the president as a church because we believe that we can do better… than the way we’re doing this right now.”
Rodríguez said he believes it isn’t appropriate to enforce immigration policy on minors.
“When it comes to enforcing immigration laws, we shouldn’t be enforcing them by focusing on deporting 5-year-olds, 12-year-olds, 9-year-old kids, people that have never committed any crime,” Rodriguez said. “So, we’re here to help. We’re willing to help, and God willing, we will.”
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President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. (Alex Brandon/AP)
In November, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a “special message” on immigration, which said in part: “Catholic teaching exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants. We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures. Human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of good will work together.”
It added, “We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.”
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The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for nations to respect the human dignity of immigrants while acknowledging nations must enforce their borders. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)
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Southeast
Boca Raton mayor launches run for Congress, touting GOP as ‘party of the middle class’
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Boca Raton, Florida’s Republican Mayor Scott Singer announced a run for Congress last week and spoke to Fox News Digital about his case to voters that Washington needs more local, common-sense leadership and fewer policies that he says have fueled inflation, weakened border security and slowed economic growth.
Singer announced his run against Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz in Florida’s 23rd Congressional District with a launch video referencing New York City’s onerous taxes and referencing Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s “radical left policies” while contrasting the economic and tax landscape with Florida, where many New Yorkers have fled to in recent years.
“I love public service,” Singer told Fox News Digital. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve as mayor. We have an opportunity to keep America going in the right direction and reverse some of the policies from the past four years that led to porous borders, high taxes, higher inflation and have hurt our economy.”
Singer, who joins a race where several other Republicans have also declared, praised recent Republican-led efforts in Washington, including what he described as historic tax relief and policies aimed at boosting wages and lowering costs for working families.
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Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer has announced a run for Congress in Florida. (Getty)
“The Republican Party has become the party of the middle class,” he said, pointing to proposals to eliminate taxes on overtime and tips, strengthen domestic manufacturing and bring jobs back to the U.S. “These are the things that are helping the middle class, higher wages, lower inflation and lower costs.”
The mayor drew a sharp contrast with today’s Democratic Party, arguing it has moved too far to the left to deliver practical solutions.
“Unfortunately, the Democratic Party of today is not our parents’ Democratic Party,” Singer said. “With an increasingly out-of-touch, far-left progressive party, it’s hard for common-sense solutions to come out of that.”
Singer said his experience in local government has shown him what effective governance looks like — and what Washington is missing.
“At the local level, we’ve excelled because we have to,” Singer said. “We have balanced budgets. We can’t shut down the government. We have to pick up the trash every day and deliver essential services. And we do that by finding common ground.”
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The United States Capitol building is seen in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 16, 2025. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
That approach, Singer argued, is increasingly absent in Congress, where partisan gridlock often stalls progress.
He also voiced strong support for President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, particularly efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses, reduce the size of government and roll back federal regulations.
“Our campuses have been unsafe for years,” Singer said. “President Trump has stood up to antisemitism by holding universities accountable. We need to codify those gains, not just rely on executive orders.”
Singer pledged he would also push to restore more authority to states and local governments, particularly on education and environmental policy, and continue efforts to rein in federal spending.
“Harmful regulation has killed jobs and increased costs,” he said. “We need long-term solutions that put power back in the hands of states and communities, not Washington bureaucrats.”
Singer told Fox News Digital one of his day one priorities if elected to Congress will be legislation to “ban individual stock trading by members,” which he called an “important” issue.
The Cook Political Report currently ranks the race as “Lean Democrat” as House Republicans will try to buck historical trends and hold their razor-thin majority in the House next November.
“What Americans want is a strong economy, a strong national defense and common-sense solutions,” Singer said. “That’s what I’ve delivered as mayor, and that’s what I want to bring to Congress.”
Earlier this year, shortly before Mamdani’s victory, Singer told Fox News Digital that the socialist candidate’s rise in New York City is likely to spark an exodus of businesses to Florida, a move he said he has already started to see in his conversations with business owners.
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Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks to members of the media at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the Queens borough of New York on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“It’s hard to predict how bad the economic situation is going to be, but Mamdani doubled down at last week’s debate and said it’s about time we raised taxes, and he was grateful for it,” Singer said. “When he’s proposing a 17% marginal tax rate for New York City residents between state and local taxes, that’s 17% that they can simply give up by moving here and with jobs more mobile because of technology and with companies finding great office space here, there’s less and less reason for people to stay there.”
Singer continued, “I think one year out, you’re going to see a substantial exodus of companies that are able to move. Two years out, we’re going to see depressed values, more unemployment, higher crime. And four years out? We don’t know. I think at that point, they’ll be ready for a new mayor if what we expect to happen in November happens.”
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