8 Million Border Crossings Drive New Democratic Stances

The 2026 midterm cycle is marked by a visible fracture in the Democratic Party.

With Republicans holding the White House and both chambers of Congress, Democratic candidates are reevaluating their positions on four specific policy areas: Israel, transgender rights, immigration, and health care.

The shift follows Donald Trump's return to power in 2024, a period during which internal party divisions deepened. Establishment figures and moderates have struggled to manage a rising wave of progressive populism. This tension means that policy stances now vary significantly by district and state rather than adhering to a unified national platform.

The most visible change concerns the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians since the October 2023 Hamas attacks. A Pew Research Center survey from earlier this year found that 60 percent of US adults view Israel unfavorably, a figure that climbs to 80 percent among Democrats. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, who may chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee if his party wins the Senate, told Politico this month that he seeks a thorough reexamination of US-Israeli ties. He said he would consider sanctions against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a stance that contrasts with the 2024 campaign, where Kamala Harris declined to feature a Palestinian American speaker at the Democratic National Convention.

Divisions also persist over transgender rights and border security. In tight races, some Democrats have softened their support for transgender students in school sports. Ohio Representative Marcy Kaptur ran an ad stating that boys should not play in girls' sports, while North Carolina Representative Don Davis called for a safe and fair space for women and girls. Conversely, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told a transgender student in Portland, Maine, on Thursday that she was ashamed of party members who scare easily after an election.

On immigration, Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 8 million border encounters between 2021 and 2025. Texas Senate candidate James Talarico labels himself a border security Democrat, supporting stronger enforcement alongside reform. Lucas Holtz of the Third Way group argues this proactive approach works, noting that the Harris campaign failed to maintain its early call for order. On the left, the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year have intensified calls to abolish or overhaul Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Health care remains a point of agreement on principle but disagreement on method. Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed supports Medicare for All, a policy backed by 66 percent of US adults according to KFF polling, a 13 point increase since October 2020. In contrast, South Carolina Senate candidate Annie Andrews, running in a more conservative state, advocates restoring lapsed Affordable Care Act subsidies and limiting insurer profits. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer maintains that the US commitment to Israel's security must remain ironclad, while 40 Democratic senators previously backed a motion disapproving military sales to Israel this year.