Democrats in Washington have vowed for years to expand Social Security, despite its fast-deteriorating finances.
Leading the charge in the House has been Rep. John Larson of Connecticut, who has spent most of the past decade as the top Democrat on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security. From this perch, he dictated the party’s agenda, championing a no-compromises vision of benefit increases paid for by large tax hikes.
His reign came to an end on Tuesday night, when the 78-year-old 14-term lawmaker was unseated in a primary by former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, 47, a moderate Mr. Larson and his allies derided as a puppet of billionaires who want to privatize Social Security.
Mr. Larson’s loss should spur Democrats to rethink the politics of Social Security. Most incumbents ousted in Democratic primaries this cycle have been felled by someone from the left. One major reason is that candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America have been willing to challenge a sclerotic Democratic establishment whose failures precipitated a cost-of-living crisis and paved the way for Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Mr. Bronin has shown that moderates can also harness the frustration with geriatric party leaders who can’t deliver.
