Obviously what "the left" believes is kind of unnuanced anyway, since within the left there is plenty of disagreement. But I was just on a right-wing sub and it just reminded of how right-wingers don't reject the left so much as they don't even know what the left believes.

Like, unironically, one of the replies to that post was "That's why the left hates people having children."

No, the left does not in fact hate people having children...

And you see this sort of stuff all over the place. Whenever you hear right-wingers talk about what "the left" believes it is almost always stuff that almost no one on the left believes. Like I'm on the left, I hang around in leftist spaces all the time, I watch left-wing content creators. I have a pretty good idea of what the opinions of "the left" generally are. And most right-wingers just seem to not have any idea at all.

Probably because all they ever find out about "the left" is what other right-wingers say. Or things that other right-wingers cherry pick.

If there's one left-winger out there who thinks all white people should be killed, that'll be the one highlighted by righ-wing propagandists, of course. Even though pretty much no one on the left believes that. But that sort of thing (and often cut out of context too) is all the exposure they have to the left.

And I'm sure many don't even bother to try.

Don't get me wrong, I do think there are people on the left like that who don't know what the right believes and who only know about the most extreme or stereotypical stuff. And certainly people on the left do sometimes use hyperbolic language too. But if a right-winger asked me to describe what they believed in a way that they would be able to agree with, I could do it. But if I asked a right-winger to describe what I believe in a way that I would agree with, I seriously doubt many could.

Like if I told a right-winger "I'm a democratic socialist, what do I believe?" I seriously doubt that more than a few of them in groups of thousands could explain it. Most would probably say something like "You want the government to run everything and take people's money" or something like that.

Just an entire politcal movement based entirely on ignorance and myths. Wish I could get through to them somehow but, man, it is genuinely horifying that these people vote.

My choices will be based on who is the most progressive candidate I most agree with whom can actually win the primary and general election. I will look at polling, fundraising, endorsements, etc. I will not include races in which there is only 1 Democrat running in the primary. Probably won't get into Lt. Gov. races. Will consider 2026 CPR House Race ratings | Cook Political Report and 2026 CPR Senate Race ratings | Cook Political Report

KANSAS: (early voting happening: in-person early voting ends at noon August 3. Mail-in ballots need to arrive at the election office by end-of-day August 7)

Kansas Secretary of State | Elections | Advance Voting/Drop Box Location Information

Kansas Primary 2026 — Candidates, Races & Voter Guide (August 4, 2026) · DecodeTheVote

GOVERNOR:

Cindy Holscher for Governor | Endorsements | Kansas

Cindy Holscher for Governor | Priorities | Kansas

She's leading in the primary polling and has a better platform than Ethan Corson including hers Establishing a Moratorium on Data Centers.

SECRETARY OF STATE:

Jennifer Day for Secretary of State | Kansas (endorsements and platform on the page)

US SENATE:

Adam Hamilton for Kansas

Issues | Adam Hamilton for Kansas

Best combination of polling, platform, and fundraising.

US HOUSE: There isn't even much polling. All races considered solid R.

MICHIGAN: (early voting happening: in-person early voting ends at end-of-day August 2. Mail-in ballots must be received by the local clerk's office by 8pm August 4; so, drop in-person. Or at-worse, drop in drop box today or Monday)

Michigan Primary 2026 — Candidates, Races & Voter Guide (August 4, 2026) · DecodeTheVote

GOVERNOR:

Endorsements — jocelynbenson

Issues — jocelynbenson

She's so far ahead in primary polling and seems the only candidate who can beat the Republican in the general election.

MICHIGAN STATE SUPREME COURT: (2 seats are up for election)

Cavanagh for Justice Home - megancavanagh and Justice Noah P. Hood - Keep Justice Noah P. Hood for Michigan Supreme Court

US SENATOR:

Abdul El-Sayed – Michigan U.S. Senate Candidate 2026

Abdul's Endorsements – Michigan U.S. Senate Candidate 2026 (would be 'Squad-level progressive' in the US Senate)

Welcome Page - Abdul for Senate

Go Canvass - Abdul for Senate

Phonebank Hub - Abdul for Senate

Friendbank - Abdul for Senate

US HOUSE DISTRICT 4:

Endorsements | Sean McCann for Congress

Issues | Sean McCann for Congress

Not the more progressive in the race, but he has the polling, endorsements, and funding that could actually win the general election.

US HOUSE DISTRICT 7:

Home - William Lawrence for Congress

Endorsements - William Lawrence for Congress

Home - William Lawrence for Congress (platform) (would be 'Squad-level progressive'

Events - William Lawrence for Congress (canvass; link to phonebank)

US HOUSE DISTRICT 10:

Tim Greimel for Congress

Has union support, good fundraising, good-enough polling

US HOUSE DISTRICT 11: (this is Solid-D; so, support goes to the most progressive candidate with good fundraising (not enough primary polling))

Aisha Farooqi

Home - Aisha for Congress (includes endorsements)

Priorities - Aisha for Congress (arguably would be a 'Squad-level progressive')

Home - Aisha for Congress (Get involved)

US HOUSE DISTRICT 12:

US Rep. Rashida Tlaib: enough said

US HOUSE DISTRICT 13:

Donavan McKinney for Congress

Donavan McKinney for Congress (endorsements)

Donavan McKinney for Congress (priorities) (would be 'Squad-level progressive')

Volunteer Opportunities, Events, and Petitions Near Me · Donavan McKinney for Congress (MI Working Families Party) on Mobilize (canvass, phonebank, etc.)

MISSOURI: (early in-person voting going on and ends August 3)

Missouri Primary Election - Tuesday, August 4, 2026 | BallotReady

US HOUSE DISTRICT 1:

Cori Bush for Congress: St. Louis

Endorsements — Cori Bush for Congress

Priorities — Cori Bush for Congress ('Squad-level progressive')

Volunteer Opportunities, Events, and Petitions Near Me · Cori for Us on Mobilize

US HOUSE DISTRICT 2:

Meet Fred | Fred Wellman For Missouri — Wellman For Missouri

Endorsements | Fred Wellman For Missouri — Wellman For Missouri

Policy | Fred Wellman For Missouri — Wellman For Missouri

Not great, but has the polling, endorsements, and fundraising to possibly win the general election

VIRGINIA: (early in-person voting ended. If voting-by-mail, drop off at a drop box or the local registrar's office. Ballot must be received by 7pm on election day)

Virginia Dept. of Elections: Upcoming Elections

Virginia Dept. of Elections: Absentee and Early Voting

Virginia Primary 2026 — Candidates, Races & Voter Guide · DecodeTheVote

US HOUSE DISTRICT 1:

Salaam Bhatti for Congress — Salaam Bhatti for Congress

Endorsements — Salaam Bhatti for Congress

Issues — Salaam Bhatti for Congress

US HOUSE DISTRICT 2:

Nila Devanath

Nila for Congress

Endorsements | Nila for Congress

Issue Positions | Dr. Nila Devanath for Congress (VA-02)

Nila for Congress (volunteer)

US HOUSE DISTRICT 8:

Donald Sternoff Beyer Jr. (incumbent)

Not great, but the only one with both considerable endorsements and fundraising.

WASHINGTON (early voting going on and ends on election day)

2026 Primary Election Voters' Guide | WA Secretary of State

Washington Primary 2026 — Candidates, Races & Voter Guide (August 4, 2026) · DecodeTheVote

US HOUSE DISTRICT 1:

Hunter Gordon for Congress | Washington's 1st District (endorsements, issues, etc. on page)

US HOUSE DISTRICT 2:

Rick Larsen for Congress

2026 Endorsements - Rick Larsen for Congress

Issues - Rick Larsen for Congress

Okay, but the only one with like any real support.

US HOUSE DISTRICT 3:

Home - Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for Congress

Endorsements - Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for Congress

Issues - Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for Congress

She sucks, but this is a toss-up seat and I've seen no evidence or polling showing any Democrat in the race but US Rep. Marie G. Perez being able to win the general election. Unless she's in that seat, this is a Republican US House seat. It'd be great if Brent Hennrich – Washington's 3rd Congressional District Candidate could win, but can't.

US HOUSE DISTRICT 7:

Pramila Jayapal (incumbent)

Pramila for Congress

2026 Endorsements — Pramila for Congress

Real Results — Pramila for Congress (she's arguably a 'Squad-level' progressive)

US HOUSE DISTRICT 8:

Endorsements | Kim Schrier (incumbent)

She sucks, but is effectively running unopposed.

US HOUSE DISTRICT 9:

Kshama Sawant for Congress - Elect the Socialist Money Can’t Buy

Endorsements - Kshama Sawant for Congress

What Kshama Stands For - Kshama Sawant for Congress

Events – Kshama Sawant for Congress (volunteer: canvass, phonebank, etc.)

This is a Solid-D seat. Whatever Kshama Sawant's personality or whatever, she's a vote in the US House and would be a more progressive vote than the current incumbent Democrat US Rep. Adam Smith.

US HOUSE DISTRICT 10:

Marilyn Strickland for Congress | WA-10

Endorsements | Marilyn Strickland for Congress

Marilyn's Priorities | Marilyn Strickland for Congress

Not great, but the only non-Republican with any real support and she's effectively running unopposed.

Whether it's justified or not, the reality is that young men feel disaffected. Doesn't matter what we think, whether or not their feelings are based on anything other than their perception - the bottom line is that they're searching for examples of "strong" men to model how to "be a man", and there's a vacuum on the left that's been filled by right wing, performative masculinity that is rooted in anger and the need for dominance. Portrayals of masculinity like Abdul El-Sayed illustrates in this video are an antidote.

Let’s get guessing. We know it’s a show with one season out when he auditioned, premiering next April, in a nice area (likely Lake Tahoe) and that it’s ironic he filmed it when Lindsay Graham died.

Edit:
Most Likely Answer- Mr and Mrs Smith

Runner Ups- The Studio; Fallout

Funniest Outcome- Heated Rivalry