A former operative for Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns has asserted that the far-left progressive movement has effectively "overtaken" the Democratic Party from within. Evan Barker, who previously worked on fundraising for Democratic candidates, told "Jesse Watters Primetime" that attempts by the party establishment to curb the influence of progressive activists in 2020 and prior ultimately proved counterproductive.
Barker stated that these containment efforts, including what she described as a blacklist after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's victory, instead fostered the growth of the far-left's own political infrastructure. This development included training activists, recruiting candidates, and securing funding from donors, some of whom are billionaires. According to Barker, this has resulted in a party increasingly influenced by its activist base, staffers, and donors, many of whom hold more progressive stances than the elected officials they support.
"I think they've kind of been captured from all sides," Barker said. "They have these hyper-left-leaning donors coupled with the staff that's been radicalized and the base."
She pointed to shifts in Senator Bernie Sanders' positions on issues such as guns and immigration as evidence of this trend, suggesting he has been influenced by figures like Ocasio-Cortez, Representative Ilhan Omar, and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed recently secured the Democratic nomination in a closely contested primary, a development Barker highlighted as an example of the progressive movement's advancing influence.
Barker's departure from the Democratic Party, which she revealed to Fox News Digital, was prompted by this perceived leftward shift. She contrasted the current party platform with what she experienced during Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, citing significant changes on issues including immigration, identity politics, and policing. The withdrawal of President Joe Biden from the 2024 presidential race and the subsequent nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris, she added, solidified her view of the party's transformation.