Democratic Candidates Split Over Gaza and Border Strategies

Democratic candidates for the 2026 midterms are adjusting their policy positions on immigration, health care, and Israel. The changes vary by district, with some candidates moving toward the left while others moderate their views to appeal to swing voters.

The party is attempting to reclaim control of both chambers of Congress after Donald Trump won a second nonconsecutive term in 2024. Internal divisions have deepened since that election, with establishment moderates struggling to manage the rise of progressive populism. Candidate platforms now depend heavily on local demographics.

The most visible shift has occurred in foreign policy. More than 74,000 Palestinians have died in the war in Gaza since October 2023. A Pew Research Center survey from earlier this year found that 60 percent of US adults hold an unfavorable view of Israel. That figure rises to 80 percent among Democrats.

Senator Chris Coons of Delaware signaled a potential policy change. If Democrats win the Senate majority next month, Coons is likely to chair the Foreign Relations Committee. He told Politico this month that he wants a thorough reexamination of the US-Israeli relationship and is open to sanctions on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This contrasts with the 2024 cycle, when former Vice President Kamala Harris rejected calls to feature a Palestinian American speaker at the Democratic National Convention.

Domestic issues have also created fault lines. On transgender rights, candidates in tight races have softened their support, particularly regarding school sports. Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio ran an ad stating that boys should not play in girls' sports. South Carolina Senate candidate Annie Andrews said she opposes biological men playing in women's sports. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pushed back against these moves during a town hall in Portland, Maine, on Thursday. She told a transgender student that some in the party were wrong to compromise rights after an election.

Immigration policy remains a major point of contention. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 8 million border encounters between 2021 and 2025. Texas Senate candidate James Talarico describes himself as a border security Democrat who supports stronger enforcement and comprehensive reform. Lucas Holtz of Third Way argued that such proactive stances are effective. On the left, the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis have intensified calls to overhaul or abolish ICE.

Health care proposals are also diverging. Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed supports Medicare for All. Andrews seeks to restore lapsed Affordable Care Act subsidies and limit insurer profits. KFF polling indicates that 66 percent of US adults now support Medicare for All, a 13 point increase from October 2020.