Portside

Conor Lamb ran as an anti-establishment, labor-backed candidate who defended the welfare state. To keep winning, Democrats will need to embrace a bold, redistributive program. If anything, the problem is that the progressive efforts are too weak, not too strong.

The Lamb victory should give heart to the surging young generation who are struggling so passionately for a better and fairer future. Despite Trump’s pandering on the issue of trade and environmental regulations, miners and steelworkers campaigned for the long-term interests of their class.