Progressive victories are now too loud to dismiss

Democrats of all ideological stripes romped across the map on Tuesday. But progressives are claiming something else in their victories: vindication.

Running on unabashedly populist platforms like Medicare for All and taxing the rich, candidates like Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Troy Jackson in Maine and, if returns hold, Randy Villegas in California's Central Valley tore up the party establishment's playbook on winning in swing territory — in some cases, toppling entrenched Republicans who had fended off previous onslaughts from Democrats.