Democrats have an identity crisis - it won't be an easy fix

BBC News · Asma Khalid · 2026-10-30 02:14 UTC

Whatever the result of the midterm elections, the party is facing tough questions over what they stand for and who should represent them.

James Stevens calls himself a democratic socialist. The 24-year-old film student is the type of Democrat who recalls watching the provocative left-wing internet commentator Hasan Piker six years ago, "before he became relevant in politics". Last year, James flew up from his home in Georgia to New York City to canvass for Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign.

His mother, Tamara, 56, is a loyal Democrat too. But of a different ilk. She grew up Republican then switched to the Democratic Party after seeing Barack Obama on Oprah. These days, she's a loyal party woman, championing reproductive rights, attending campaign rallies and donating to local candidates.

Both mother and son want Democrats to win control of Congress at Tuesday's midterm elections, but they don't entirely agree on what they want their Democratic Party to be.

Read the full story at BBC News · All coverage of this story