Talking past each other? Two sides of the Democratic party maneuvering to control agenda

ST LOUIS • To hear one side tell it, Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary highlighted a growing movement in city politics in which energized progressives are steadily advancing their agenda of racial equity and economic justice into the forefront of the public’s consciousness.

In the months leading up to the election, Treasurer Tishaura Jones painted herself as the progressive, change candidate. And, fairly or not, longtime Alderman Lyda Krewson, with her close ties to four-term Mayor Francis Slay, was branded by many as the status quo, establishment candidate.

For some progressives, Jones’ narrow loss to Krewson is proof that establishment Democrats will have to focus more on the lessons learned during the 2014 protests in Ferguson, and less on building new high-rises and subsidizing sports stadiums. The split echoes the rift in the national party between supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and eventual Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in last year’s presidential primary.

They say establishment Democrats could find themselves losing elections if they fail to adapt.

But establishment Democrats say that these types of intra-party battles over control of the agenda are a natural part of the push-and-pull of politics, and that the two sides will continue to agree in some areas and disagree in others. One long-time politician went further and said the progressive movement’s opposition would soften over time as the realities of governing set in.

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