Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party between its far-left and establishment wings during a Friday interview on August 8, 2026. She lamented that progressives often do not support establishment Democrats after primary losses, stating, "One thing that we haven't yet seen enough of is that when the progressives, the left — whatever we want to call, you know, candidates on that side of the Democratic Party — when they lose, they often don't support the candidate that has been nominated."

Clinton emphasized the need for unity to win general elections, noting, "But we also have to win general elections."

She pointed to the Michigan Senate race as an example, where Democrats must pivot to support progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign against Republican Mike Rogers. At the same time, El-Sayed’s supporters will need to reconcile with Haley Stevens and her supporters, whom they had previously "vilified" online and in person.

Podcast host Kara Swisher highlighted the Democratic Party's internal struggle between its establishment and progressive wings, noting that Republican opposition has learned to capitalize on these divisions. Clinton agreed, warning that GOP attacks labeling hard-left socialists as "communists" could be "very effective," adding, "I assume that they have reason to believe that it's effective, or they wouldn't be beating the drum on it."

Despite these challenges, Clinton noted that such "scare tactics" did not prevent the rise of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Clinton also reflected on past reluctance within the party, saying, "You know, there was a lot of reluctance to support Kamala Harris. There was a lot of reluctance to support me when I got the nomination. So, it can't be a one-way street."

The comments come amid the 2026 midterm elections, with key races unfolding, including the contest between Stevens and El-Sayed in Michigan.

Sources