Opinion: A Democratic version of the Tea Party is emerging

There’s a widespread hunger in the country for populists and outsiders. As America slips deeper into social and economic crisis, the electorate might gravitate toward leaders offering far-reaching solutions.

Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and Marine Corps veteran who is running for the Democratic nomination for the Senate in Maine, speaks during a town hall in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, April 12, 2026. (Mark Peterson/The New York Times)

Opinion: A Democratic version of the Tea Party is emerging

There’s a widespread hunger in the country for populists and outsiders. As America slips deeper into social and economic crisis, the electorate might gravitate toward leaders offering far-reaching solutions.

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