{"id":261855,"date":"2026-08-09T00:32:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T00:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/261855\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T00:32:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T00:32:16","slug":"chris-rabb-warns-of-great-peril-for-democrats-if-party-ignores-abdul-el-sayed-and-other-progressive-wins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/261855\/","title":{"rendered":"Chris Rabb warns of \u2018great peril\u2019 for Democrats if party ignores Abdul El-Sayed and other progressive wins"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Listen to article \u2022\u00a00:00 min<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">WASHINGTON \u2014 <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/chris-rabb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/chris-rabb\">Chris Rabb<\/a> is on a winning streak.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">Since his <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/philadelphia\/chris-rabb-wins-third-congressional-district-philadelphia-primary-election-20260519.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/philadelphia\/chris-rabb-wins-third-congressional-district-philadelphia-primary-election-20260519.html\">victory<\/a> in Philadelphia\u2019s highly contested Democratic congressional primary in May, the state lawmaker and presumptive successor to retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans has <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/pennsylvania\/chris-rabb-endorsements-progressive-congress-midterms-third-district-20260601.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/pennsylvania\/chris-rabb-endorsements-progressive-congress-midterms-third-district-20260601.html\">campaigned across the country<\/a> \u2014 going nine for 10 in races where he\u2019s supported progressives against more establishment-backed, moderate <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/democratic-party\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Democrats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">That wave of momentum \u2014 for a left-leaning faction hoping to transform the next generation of the Democratic Party \u2014 culminated this week in Michigan, where Dr. Abdul El-Sayed won a consequential U.S. Senate primary in the key swing state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">Though not a self-described democratic socialist like Rabb, El-Sayed ran on a similar anti-corporation, anti-Israel platform that focused on enacting policies like Medicare for All and dismantling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">Rabb, who was on the ground in Detroit for the final push of the campaign and at El-Sayed\u2019s victory party on Tuesday, said the Michigander prevailed \u201cagainst extraordinary odds.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, with establishment support and about $62 million in outside spending on her behalf, had a roughly 9-to-1 spending advantage over El-Sayed, according to The New York Times. Her loss amid that kind of massive spending \u201cis a testament to the power of economic populism and the growing frustration with incrementalism,\u201d Rabb said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">\u201cHis primary win proves that economic populism and bold progressivism has growing support across the ideological spectrum among Democrats whether they\u2019re voting in Michigan or Pennsylvania,\u201d Rabb said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">The five-term state representative from <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/east-mount-airy\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">East Mount Airy<\/a> has thrown his energy into other campaigns as his own is pretty much complete. In one of the bluest in the country, he defeated a pair of more moderate Democrats \u2014 State Sen. <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/sharif-street\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sharif Street<\/a> and physician <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/ala-stanford\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ala Stanford<\/a> \u2014 and will not face a Republican opponent in the November election. The district covers about half of the city, from <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/south-philly\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">South Philadelphia<\/a> through the Northwest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">Rabb <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/pennsylvania\/chris-rabb-endorsements-progressive-congress-midterms-third-district-20260601.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/pennsylvania\/chris-rabb-endorsements-progressive-congress-midterms-third-district-20260601.html\">began looking beyond his district borders<\/a> almost immediately after the primary. <\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">In New Jersey\u2019s Trenton-based congressional district, he <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/new-jersey-congressional-primaries-results-20260602.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/new-jersey-congressional-primaries-results-20260602.html\">campaigned for Dr. Adam Hamawy,<\/a> a former combat surgeon who has also provided medical care to Gazans during the war with Israel. In New York, he threw his weight behind Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, two of the democratic socialists also backed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. <\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">He turned to other candidates in California, Colorado and Michigan as he door-knocked, called voters and appeared in virtual events.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">\u201cEver since May 19, which was the night I won, I\u2019ve been paying it forward with so many amazing candidates,\u201d Rabb said during a recent <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jQGrByntbmY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jQGrByntbmY\">virtual fundraiser<\/a> for El-Sayed in which Rabb said he was signing and giving away the pink \u201cPhiladelphia\u201d baseball hat he was wearing to a lucky donor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">Rabb hasn\u2019t weighed in on every battle between progressives and moderates. He did not endorse Cori Bush, the former member of Congress and democratic socialist who failed in her attempt at a comeback in Missouri this week. He also has not endorsed every congressional candidate promoted by two key national coalitions that supported him \u2014 <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/justicedemocrats.com\/candidates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/justicedemocrats.com\/candidates\/\">Justice Democrats<\/a>, which has been a force behind the election of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others, and the <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/2026.electoral.dsausa.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/2026.electoral.dsausa.org\/\">Democratic Socialists of America<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">The one candidate he endorsed who did not win was Saikat Chakrabarti, a former campaign manager and chief of staff to Ocasio-Cortez who tried to beat former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi\u2019s hand-picked successor in San Francisco.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">And not all of Rabb\u2019s endorsees are guaranteed to join him in Congress next year. Justin Pearson, a Tennessee state lawmaker who won a U.S. House primary on Thursday, will be the nominee in a state where <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/republican-party\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Republicans<\/a> redistricted this year in an attempt to root out Democratic incumbents. Pearson\u2019s district is considered \u201csolid Republican\u201d by the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan group that rates competitive districts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">While some Democrats have questioned whether progressives can win competitive general election races, Rabb said he was \u201cconfident that strategically supporting anti-establishment populist candidates who bring with them new, more active and enthusiastic voters will significantly increase turnout in November.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">\u201cIgnoring the unique strengths of such candidates and campaigns will be at the Democratic Party\u2019s great peril,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">That sentiment echoed other comments he\u2019s made in recent months as more centrist leaders in his party questioned the progressive momentum. In June, he responded to an interview in which Gov. <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/josh-shapiro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/josh-shapiro\">Josh Shapiro<\/a> called the democratic socialists who won in New York an example of \u201cperformative politics.\u201d Those candidates would now need to govern effectively, he said, adding that they were not indicative of the types of Democrats winning in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">\u201cYou\u2019re seeing very different-looking congressional races, and certainly very different Democratic candidates here in Pennsylvania,\u201d Shapiro told CNN, prompting Rabb to <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/chrisrabb\/status\/2070302238182891990?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"https:\/\/x.com\/chrisrabb\/status\/2070302238182891990?s=20\">respond on social media<\/a> with, \u201cUmmm\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">Shapiro, a popular figure as he seeks reelection this fall, has been lending his support to Democrats in four competitive congressional seats in Pennsylvania that are held by Republicans, <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/nation\/bucks-county-2026-midterms-competitive-races-20260521.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/nation\/bucks-county-2026-midterms-competitive-races-20260521.html\">including a swing district in suburban <\/a><a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/bucks-county\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bucks County<\/a>. Flipping those seats in a way that could help Democrats capture the U.S. House majority has been a top priority and has further fueled speculation that Shapiro is eyeing a run for the White House in 2028. <\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">At the same time, Shapiro has <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/news\/pennsylvania\/josh-shapiro-endorsment-third-congressional-race-20260515.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/news\/pennsylvania\/josh-shapiro-endorsment-third-congressional-race-20260515.html\">not appeared with or supported Rabb<\/a> during his campaign, though his team has said the governor looks forward to working with whoever replaces Evans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">As Rabb has crisscrossed the country, he\u2019s also drawn more ire from the state\u2019s other most nationally prominent Democrat \u2014 U.S. Sen. <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/john-fetterman\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/topic\/john-fetterman\">John Fetterman<\/a>, who Rabb dismissively refers to as \u201cthe F word.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">Fetterman has included Rabb in his broad denouncements of progressives who are winning Democratic primaries. Progressives like Rabb, meanwhile, have <a class=\"relative z-1 text-blue-mid hover:shadow-lightmode\" data-link-type=\"article-body\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/pennsylvania\/chris-rabb-john-fetterman-2028-senate-primary-progressives-20260608.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.inquirer.com\/politics\/pennsylvania\/chris-rabb-john-fetterman-2028-senate-primary-progressives-20260608.html\">indicated they hope to replace Fetterman with a progressive candidate in 2028<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">\u201cRabb, he won, and he ran on being a very, very anti-Israel guy,\u201d Fetterman said in early June at an American Jewish Committee conference in Washington. \u201cIt\u2019s actually a virtue (in the modern Democratic Party)&#8230; It\u2019s heartbreaking for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">After El-Sayed\u2019s win this week against a candidate who received more money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee than possibly any other candidate on record, Rabb and the coalition behind him have shown no signs of slowing down.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">\u201cGround Zero was Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania, winning a key congressional primary,\u201d Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee said on the livestreamed fundraiser with Rabb this week. <\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">The \u201cripple effects of winning a battleground Senate contest,\u201d like in Michigan, Green said, will be significant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"inq-p text-primary  \">\u201cThe message will be undebatable that we won, that we\u2019re on the rise, and that we can win anywhere,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Listen to article \u2022\u00a00:00 min WASHINGTON \u2014 Chris Rabb is on a winning streak. Since his victory in&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":261856,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[110843,69,71,70],"class_list":["post-261855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-philadelphia","tag-chris-rabb-progressive-win-michigan","tag-philadelphia","tag-philadelphia-headlines","tag-philadelphia-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=261855"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261855\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/261856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=261855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=261855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=261855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}