The 'Moderate Democrat' Label Is a Misleading Campaign Myth
Source: Brianna Lyman. "Stop Calling Democrats 'Moderate' For Hiding Their Socialism." August 12, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The author argues that calling David Crowley a 'moderate' Democrat is misleading because his actual policy positions (on unions, minimum wage, abortion, and immigration) are nearly identical to his more openly socialist primary opponent. She claims this 'moderate' label is a political trick Democrats use to get left-wing candidates elected by swing voters who won't dig into the details, pointing to Biden and Spanberger as past examples of this pattern.
Conclusion
The media and commentators should stop calling Democrats like David Crowley 'moderate,' because the label is a campaign myth used to disguise genuinely left-wing/socialist policy positions and deceive voters.
Premises
- Crowley and self-described socialist Francesca Hong agree on substantive policy positions: repealing Act 10 (collective bargaining limits), raising the minimum wage significantly ($15-$20/hour), enshrining abortion access in the state constitution, and opposing local law enforcement cooperation with ICE.
- Crowley supports keeping immigration policy open and has said he cannot envision any scenario where he'd cooperate with ICE, indicating a substantively left-wing stance on immigration.
- The primary distinction between Crowley and Hong is rhetorical tone (Hong's inflammatory statements about Thanksgiving, police abolition, etc.) rather than substantive policy differences.
- Historical precedent shows Democrats who campaigned as 'moderate' (Abigail Spanberger, Joe Biden) governed with left-wing policies once elected (tax hikes, climate legislation, extended unemployment benefits, open border policies).
- Media outlets and commentators are actively applying the 'moderate' label to Crowley, which shapes voter perception even though most voters won't research his actual positions in depth.
- When Republicans or right-leaning commentators repeat the 'moderate' label, they inadvertently help Democrats successfully market left-wing candidates to swing voters.
Assumptions
- Being 'moderate' should be defined by objective policy positions relative to the broader political spectrum, not merely by relative comparison to more extreme members within one's own party.
- The specific policies cited (Act 10 repeal, $20 minimum wage, abortion rights, ICE non-cooperation, open immigration) are definitively 'left-wing' or 'socialist' rather than mainstream or centrist positions.
- Rhetorical tone and specific extreme statements (e.g., abolishing the Senate) are not meaningful indicators of political moderation, and only underlying policy substance matters.
- Media labeling of politicians as 'moderate' significantly influences voter perception and electoral outcomes.
- Past Democratic officials' governance after claiming to be 'moderate' is a reliable predictor of how Crowley would govern if elected.