Rep Pramila Jayapal slams Democrats for dismissing progressive victories
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A deepening rift within the Democratic Party is becoming more clearly evident as the establishment becomes disillusioned with the increasing influence of the party’s socialist wing.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called out her Democratic colleagues for their “disrespectful” welcome of socialists into the “big tent” party.
“I think there’s a lot of disrespectful comments coming from some parts of the Democratic Party that don’t take into consideration the voters who elected these people,” Jayapal told CNN. he said.
He made the comments as socialism gained ground within the Democratic Party, with socialist candidates scoring large primary victories and unseating established Democrats.
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While Mamdani, AOC and socialism gain ground, Schumer and Jeffries take a hit after the New York primaries. (Getty Images)
All three congressional candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, and Darializa Avila Chevalier) won their respective Democratic primaries; this reflects the growing acceptance of the far-left movement within the party.
Jayapal, who serves as chairman emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, argued that the victories show Americans are looking for tougher leadership.
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“I think people are sick and tired of the old order policies that so many Democrats were part of advancing, and they’re ready for something bolder,” the Democratic representative said.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., speaks at a press conference with other members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus about Department of Homeland Security funding and reform efforts in Washington, DC, on January 13, 2026. (Nathan Posner/Anatolia via Getty Images)
Jayapal expressed concern about the treatment of moderates within the “big tent” party compared to progressives, calling for the latter to be treated more fairly.
“Why is it that every time a moderate wins an election, people say, ‘This is the new plan of the Democratic Party?’ But if a progressive or a Democratic socialist wins, ‘Oh, the whole party is going to go to hell in a handbasket.'”
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Jayapal criticized Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a prominent Democrat, who said he was “wrong” for claiming that some democratic socialists are engaged in performative politics.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro speaks at his re-election campaign kickoff event on January 8, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Rachel Wisniewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He said Democrats need to learn to understand what it means to be a “big tent” party.
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“I find it really insulting to say that democratic socialists are just making noise,” he told CNN.
“I guess you have to ask the question: ‘Why did we lose so many Democratic voters?’ “In these races where democratic socialists are winning, progressives are winning, they are bringing back voters even in the toughest states.”
