The future of the newly ascendant Democratic party has been projected onto who gets elected to lead the party in Congress. But the party’s direction and agenda is more complex than that.

A scholar of parties and elections explains how the ‘umbrella’ Democratic and Republican parties mask differences in political preferences – and may represent voters just as well as multiparty systems.

The spoiler candidate is one of the oldest tricks in the American campaign toolbox, and the law has rarely touched it.

Money or other material benefits are often not enough to override a voter’s preferences and partisanship.

Republicans and Democrats need to make inroads with independent voters. But the themes that motivate the party faithful may not sit well with independents, who tend to recoil against partisan rancor.

Primary winners represent the views of a small group of people who turn out inconsistently and often do not even represent the the views of the parties’ voters, to say nothing of the general public.

What role might DSA-affiliated candidates play if they win election to Congress in the midterms and the Democrats gain a majority in the House of Representatives?

While only a sliver of Americans say they support violating core democratic norms, many more say they’re ambivalent about politicians who undermine democracy.