Three lessons from this year’s primaries: From the Politics Desk

From the Politics DeskThree lessons from this year’s primaries: From the Politics DeskPlus, how Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” has changed America.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) in Denver in 2022.David Zalubowski / AP fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 1, 2026, 5:15 PM EDTBy The Politics DeskWelcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.In today’s edition, our politics team digs into this week’s primary results — and how they fit into patterns we’ve seen from contests in both parties so far this year. Plus, a special report digging into how the president’s “big, beautiful bill” has changed the U.S. in its first year.Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.— Scott BlandThree lessons from 2026 primary season so farAnalysis by Ben Kamisar and Bridget BowmanWe’re past the halfway point of primary season, and while the full story is yet to be written, we’re already learning some important lessons. The old definition of “progressive” isn’t enough anymore. In many of this year’s primary upsets, the candidates who lost had résumés that checked the boxes of what Democrats used to want in their leaders. Reps. Dan Goldman and Diana DeGette were both prominent figures in President Donald Trump’s impeachments. Rep. Adriano Espaillat took the Trump administration to court over its immigration detention oversight. Some losing incumbents also supported progressive policies like “Medicare for All” or abolishing ICE. And many of these candidates had the backing of prominent progressive lawmakers. Yet, that wasn’t enough, as up-and-coming Democrats wage war on their party’s establishment, attack them for a lack of urgency and try to change the definition of what it...