"Washington is broken": Democrats running for office turn sharply against their own party

Democratic candidates in the 2026 midterms are sharply attacking their own party in ads, a shift from past bipartisan messaging. An Axios analysis of over 350 ads since 2018 found a huge uptick in negative mentions of the Democratic Party or both parties. Candidates cite voter anger toward the national establishment, with Montana's Sam Forstag and Minnesota's Jake Johnson reporting frustration on the trail.