Democrat warns US progressives against moving toward the center: ‘It lost me the election’

India Walton, who defeated incumbent mayor only to lose general election, says moderating is what got us here'

India Walton has a warning message for progressive Democrats during Donald Trump's second presidency: don't water down your politics to win over the establishment.

The Democratic socialist who stunned the Democratic establishment by defeating a four-term incumbent mayor in Buffalo, New York's 2021 primary believes moderating her leftwing message cost her the general election. It's a lesson that carries new weight now that Zohran Mamdani secured his own victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary earlier in the summer and inspired thousands of other progressive candidates to also run for office.