The Democratic Party is staring down what insiders fear could become a self-inflicted disaster: an overcrowded, chaotic primary season in the 2026 midterms. According to a report from Politico, Democratic operatives and consultants are sounding the alarm over the party’s internal fractures, warning that a glut of candidates and intra-party attacks could squander their already slim hopes of winning back the House.

“There’s going to be so many crowded primaries, so many people stepping up against Trump, and then so many different players throwing around real money in these primaries,” said Ian Russell, a veteran Democratic consultant and former political director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). “Yes, it’s going to be chaos.”

And it’s not just speculation. Activist groups, including “Leaders We Deserve,” co-founded by David Hogg, have already pledged millions of dollars to primary sitting Democratic incumbents they consider “asleep at the wheel”—even in solid blue districts. The result? Resources are being poured into infighting instead of being focused on beating Republicans in swing districts.

Hogg’s group represents a growing progressive faction that wants to purge the party of centrists and replace them with younger, far-left firebrands. Their efforts echo the Justice Democrats strategy that elevated Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2018 and have increasingly targeted moderate Democrats for political extinction.

The DCCC is reportedly under mounting pressure to intervene and prevent this kind of internal warfare. But the national party is already on thin ice with its base, especially among younger voters.

A Harvard Youth Poll from April showed Democrats have lost significant ground with millennials and Gen Z. Since 2017, congressional Democrats have seen a staggering 19-point drop in approval among young voters. That’s left some Democrats terrified that infighting won’t just waste money—it could depress turnout across the board.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Republicans currently control the House, and President Donald Trump’s approval ratings continue to trend upward. His “One Big, Beautiful Bill” has energized the GOP base and demonstrated unified messaging—something Democrats now sorely lack.

While Republicans hammer home a cohesive agenda of immigration enforcement, economic growth, and parental rights, Democrats are preparing for what some have described as a “circular firing squad.” With no clear party leader post-Biden and Vice President Harris widely seen as politically weak, the Democrats are facing a vacuum of power and message.

Some Democrats are trying to downplay the risk. They argue that a competitive primary season can energize voters. But the reality is that many of these races will pit progressives against more moderate incumbents in bloody battles that will drain money and morale, all while Republicans stay laser-focused on flipping districts.

Already, vulnerable Democrats in swing districts are privately begging the DCCC to block outside groups from stirring up primary chaos. But that may be easier said than done. With trust in the Democratic leadership at historic lows, and groups like Hogg’s flush with cash, the establishment is struggling to control its own revolutionaries.

As one top strategist put it bluntly, “If we lose the House again, it won’t be because of Trump—it’ll be because we couldn’t stop punching ourselves in the face.”

Unless the Democrats can quickly unify around a post-Biden message and rein in their radical wing, the 2026 midterms could be the most brutal and self-defeating campaign season they’ve ever faced. And it’s only just beginning.