Republican pollster Ed Goeas said on Monday that progressives could hurt the Democratic Party in the long term by moving the party too far to the left.
“I have warned many of my Democratic friends that they are facing something in the Democratic Party much like what we faced with the Tea Party coming out of the 2010 election,” Goeas, the president and CEO of the Tarrance Group, told Hill.TV’s Joe Concha on “What America’s Thinking.”
“You have a group that is far off on the fringe that had some successes in beating incumbents, that are voicing their strength, showing their muscle,” he continued.
“I think the interesting thing to watch over the next two years is not what’s happening presidentially, but how many Democrat incumbents begin looking over their shoulder for a Democratic primary [challenger] in the upcoming election and start moving to the left,” he said.”If that happens, much like many of our people did moving to the right, that can actually be something that over future elections down the road, ends up hurting the party.”
Goeas’ comments come as various progressives including Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) prepare to take their seats as freshmen lawmakers in Congress next year.
— Julia Manchester
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