When moderates walk away, extremists walk through the door

Eight years ago, the Democratic Party received a wake-up call. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a little-known candidate, stunned the political establishment by defeating incumbent New York Rep. Joe Crowley—a powerful Democratic leader widely viewed as a future Speaker of the House—in a party primary.

We all watched it happen. Too few understood what it meant. Ocasio-Cortez, now a sitting congresswoman from New York, was not an aberration. Her victory revealed the presence of a growing socialist movement that understood how political power is won: organize, raise money, recruit candidates and, most importantly, show up to vote.

Since then, this movement has become more disciplined, more determined and more defiant. The political reality is impossible to ignore.

Many moderate, conservative and independent voters have become increasingly frustrated with what they see emanating from the far-left segment of the Democratic Party. Some have responded by leaving the party altogether. That reaction is understandable. Members of my own family have wrestled with the decision.

But in states such as New York and New Jersey, where Democratic primaries often determine who ultimately governs, walking away is politically self-defeating. Leaving the Democratic Party doesn’t weaken the far left. It only strengthens it.

In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed candidates in three major Democratic congressional primaries. All of them prevailed.

Then came Michigan. Socialist candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed narrowly captured the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate in one of America’s most consequential battleground states. His victory was another unmistakable sign that the far-left wing is steadily expanding its influence inside one of America’s two major political parties.

There should no longer be any illusions. Eight years ago, many dismissed Ocasio-Cortez’s victory as a political fluke. It was not. We wanted to believe these were isolated races and temporary political moments. They weren’t.

Ignoring what is happening will not stop it. That is why Democratic voices like Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), and, of course, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) matter so much.

America needs a strong political center. And if support for Israel is to remain bipartisan, then Democrats willing to stand with Israel must continue to have a meaningful voice within their party. This is why primaries deserve serious attention whenever one party’s primary effectively determines who governs. Until that changes, disengagement is not a strategy. It is surrender.

Eight years ago, AOC was the warning. Mamdani is the confirmation. Abdul El-Sayed is the exclamation point.

If moderates continue to disengage from Democratic primaries in states such as New York and New Jersey, there is every reason to believe this trend will continue. If that happens, one of America’s two major political parties will increasingly be defined by its most extreme elements. That should concern every American, regardless of political affiliation.

The consequences extend far beyond partisan politics. They touch on our national security, our economic prosperity, America’s alliance with Israel and the future of the Jewish community. This is not a Republican story. It is not just a Democratic story. It is an American story.

A profound political realignment is unfolding before our very eyes. You may welcome it. You may oppose it. But pretending it isn’t happening is no longer an option.

History rarely announces itself while it is being made. This time, it has. The only remaining questions are whether we will recognize this moment and what we will do about it.

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