74,000 Gaza Deaths and 8 Million Border Crossings Force Democrats to Pick Sides

More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, a toll that has reshaped the policy landscape for Democratic candidates running in the 2026 midterm elections. As the party seeks to reclaim control of Congress from Republicans, legislators are moving in different directions on divisive issues, with some softening their positions and others pushing further left.

The most visible shift has occurred on Israel policy. A Pew Research Center survey from earlier this year found that 80 percent of Democrats hold an unfavorable view of Israel. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, who may chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Politico this month that he wants a thorough reexamination of the relationship and would consider sanctions on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This stance contrasts with 2024, when Vice President Kamala Harris declined to feature a Palestinian American speaker at the Democratic National Convention. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer maintains that the US commitment to Israel's security must remain ironclad.

On domestic social issues, candidates in tight races have adjusted their language regarding transgender rights. 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 fair space for women and girls in athletics. This approach follows a 2024 Trump campaign ad that highlighted Harris's support for transgender Americans. However, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told a town hall in Portland, Maine, on Thursday that some in her party were wrong to compromise trans rights, describing the reaction as a result of voters being scared easily after an election.

Immigration policy has also driven a split, with Customs and Border Protection recording more than 8 million border encounters between 2021 and 2025. In Texas, Senate candidate James Talarico identifies as a border security Democrat, backing stronger enforcement alongside comprehensive reform. Lucas Holtz of the Third Way group argued that such proactive stances are effective, noting that the Harris campaign did not stick to its early calls for order at the border. On the left, the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year have fueled calls to abolish or drastically overhaul ICE.

Health care remains a point of agreement on the need for government involvement, but candidates disagree on the method. Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed supports Medicare for All, a position backed by 66 percent of US adults according to KFF polling, up 13 points from 2020. In South Carolina, candidate Annie Andrews wants lapsed Affordable Care Act subsidies restored and limits on insurer profits. Holtz said all Democrats want to move toward universal coverage in the best way possible.