Far-Left Group Threatens Primary Challenges Against Establishment Democrats: ‘Time to Clean Up Shop’

The time has come to “clean up shop” in the Democratic Party, according to the radical progressive Justice Democrats movement, who are threatening to target entrenched Democrats in “deep blue” districts, citing failures of party leadership in 2024 and its alignment with billionaire donors, according to the left-wing magazine Salon.

The Justice Democrats, a progressive group known for backing insurgent primary challengers like radical “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are planning to reignite their campaign against establishment Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms, according to an interview with Salon published Sunday. 

The group, critical of the Democratic Party’s leadership after its crushing 2024 losses, aims to field primary challengers in safe blue districts who they claim have failed to represent working-class constituents.  

“It’s time to clean up shop in the Democratic Party, frankly,” Usamah Andrabi, a spokesman for the group, told the magazine. 

Andrabi criticized the party’s inability to deliver significant victories in 2024, citing a misalignment between its establishment’s strategies and the needs of its voter base.  

The group, which played a pivotal role in electing high-profile radical progressives like “Squad” Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), plans to scrutinize districts held by Democrats who they believe are not adequately serving their communities. 

Andrabi emphasized the party’s failure to reconcile its “big tent” strategy, accusing leadership of catering to billionaires at the expense of everyday Americans.

“For so long the Democratic Party has tried to be a big tent that somehow includes the working class and the billionaire class and that says it fights for the interests of the working class,” he said. “We continue to allow our party to align ourselves with the wealthiest few and everyday people are beginning to take notice.”

The Justice Democrats’ renewed focus comes amid growing tensions between the Democratic establishment and its progressive wing, exacerbated by post-election infighting. While some blamed factors like inflation and cultural issues for the losses, progressives argue that the party’s embrace of billionaire-backed strategies alienated its working-class base.  

“There are members of this party that we are not going to be able to convince to actually stand up for working people,” Andrabi stated.

The matter comes as Republicans’ sweeping win in 2024 saw them regain control of the House, Senate, and presidency, leaving Democrats in disarray.

In response to Trump’s victory, Justice Democrats warned that the “devastating” outcome threatens an “all-out assault on our democracy,” while calling on Democratic leadership to “take responsibility.” 

The once influential group is now aiming to reclaim momentum after recent losses, setting up a fierce intra-party clash for 2026.

Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.