Former Democratic operative Evan Barker argues that a well-funded network of donors, consultants and advocacy organisations has helped push the Democratic Party’s progressive agenda further left. She says this movement is not primarily grassroots-driven, describing it instead as a new donor establishment operating through so-called dark money.

Barker, now a Trump voter and author of “Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative”, previously raised money for Democratic candidates. The article frames her comments around progressive figures associated with New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, though the supplied text does not provide specific funding figures or independently verified evidence for her claims.