# ‘Economic populism is very fashionable’: the old Bernie Sanders formula that helped Democrats win the midterms

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/economic-populism-is-very-fashionable-the-old-bernie-sanders-formula-that-helped-democrats-win-the-midterms/
- Published: 2026-11-12T10:51:30+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T12:42:56+00:00
- Original publisher: El País (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://english.elpais.com/usa/2026-11-12/economic-populism-is-very-fashionable-the-old-bernie-sanders-formula-that-helped-democrats-win-the-midterms.html
- Topics: Americas, Elections, Politics, World

## Key points

- Progressive Democrats won on economic fairness messages.
- Their rhetoric echoes Bernie Sanders’ long-running agenda.
- The cost of living topped voters’ concerns.

## Summary

Progressive Democratic candidates won seats in the 3 November midterms after campaigning on economic fairness, working-class concerns and challenging the influence of billionaires. The article argues that their message echoes Bernie Sanders’ politics, once treated as marginal within his party, and suggests his decades of campaigning helped make it more acceptable.

Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed, California’s Randy Villegas and New York’s Claire Valdez all won, after receiving Sanders’ support. Analysts differ on whether economic populism is new, but agree that Donald Trump helped bring public attention to corporate and billionaire influence; before the election, surveys found the cost of living, including fuel and groceries, was voters’ leading concern.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.