Bernie Sanders issues a warning as Zohran Mamdani, Abdul El-Sayed, and the likes of them achieve stunning victories: ‘They were all heavily outspent’

This primary season has seen some big surprises, and Sen. Bernie Sanders recently took to X to highlight a growing trend.

He pointed out in his post, “What do Zohran Mamdani, Abdul El-Sayed, Peggy Flanagan and Angie Nixon have in common? They all ran strong progressive grassroots campaigns. They were all heavily outspent. THEY ALL WON. The establishment has the money. We have the people. When we stand together, we win.”

It’s a bold statement, but it captures what we’ve seen across the United States in 2026. According to USA Today, these victories aren’t just statistical anomalies. They represent a real, tangible movement of democratic socialists and progressive insurgents who are toppling heavily favored, establishment-backed candidates.

Take the case of Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon. Her surprise win over Alexander Vindman in the Democratic Senate primary was a massive upset. Per the outlet, Vindman had the backing of Democrats nationwide and raised a staggering $16 million thanks to his high-profile testimony during the 2019 impeachment of President Donald Trump. Despite that, Nixon managed to secure her victory by twelve percentage points, with only about $1.2 million in funding. 

David vs. Goliath

As USA Today reported, Nixon ran her campaign on a platform that included Medicare for all, universal childcare, and raising the federal minimum wage to $25. During her victory speech, Nixon told her supporters, “They tried to intimidate us. They told us to step aside, but we knew better. And, we the hard-working, everyday people of Florida sent a shockwave to the Washington, DC, establishment.”

Tara Newsom, a political science professor at St. Petersburg College in Florida, reportedly noted that Nixon’s win was a “David-versus-Goliath victory.”  Newsom added that Nixon overcame Vindman’s massive war chest with “retail politics and all 67 counties with her message.” It’s a powerful reminder that grassroots mobilization still has some serious punch. Similar stories have played out in Michigan, Colorado, New York, and Pennsylvania. 

In Michigan, Donavan McKinney ousted Rep. Shri Thanedar, while in Colorado, Melat Kiros defeated Rep. Diana DeGette. Over in New York, Darializa Avila Chevalier pulled off a huge upset against Rep. Adriano Espaillat. CBS News reported that about two-thirds of House candidates endorsed by major leftist groups like the Democratic Socialists of America or Justice Democrats have won their primaries this cycle.

Nixon was outraised by more than 16-to-1. Yet, she prevailed. As PBS noted, It’s not just about the dollars; it’s about the message. These candidates are focusing on issues like Medicare for all, universal childcare, and affordability—topics that clearly resonate with voters who feel left behind by the traditional political system.

Per USA Today, Ashik Siddique, co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America, told CNN on August 18 that Nixon is “winning on the strength of speaking to working-class people who have been feeling left out of the political system and unrepresented by establishment politicians for so long.”

Of course, not every progressive candidate has found success. USA Today noted that the political establishment held its ground in several districts. For example, in Florida, both Elijah Manley and Oliver Larkin fell to established incumbents. 

It’s worth noting that not everyone in this progressive wave is a self-identified democratic socialist. Per the outlet, Abdul El-Sayed, who won his Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, identifies as a capitalist despite his progressive platform and support from figures like Sanders. He also succeeded based on his message of “Money out of politics. Money in your pockets. Medicare for All,” despite over $10 million backing his opponent, Haley Stevens, per PBS. 

As we look toward November, the question remains: what does this mean for the future of the Democratic Party? Some analysts, like those at Third Way, reportedly argue that these victories are turning “blue places even bluer” rather than flipping purple seats. But for the candidates themselves, the focus is on reclaiming the party’s base. 

As Usamah Andrabi, the communications director for Justice Democrats, told CBS, “Our focus is on ensuring that the representatives of the deepest, most Democratic districts actually represent the base of this party and are actually the ones leading this party forward.”