President Trump is preparing to swear in Todd Blanche as attorney general after a contentious Senate confirmation that raised bipartisan concerns about politicizing the Justice Department. Progressive challengers Francesca Hong in Wisconsin and Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota are mounting late pushes that heighten intra-party tensions ahead of Tuesday's primaries. Separately, Iran says it will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until the U.S. meets several demands, calling the shutdown the war's most lasting effect.
Progressives Pressure Democratic Establishment In Wisconsin And Minnesota As Trump Installs Ally At DOJ
FILE - National Guard members gather near a large portrait of President Donald Trump on the Labor Department headquarters before the body of Metropolitan Police Department officer Terry Bennett is driven past the Capitol, Jan. 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump is set to swear in Todd Blanche as attorney general on Monday after the Senate confirmed him early Saturday. Blanche's confirmation exposed bipartisan unease about elevating a close Trump ally to lead a Justice Department that has historically emphasized institutional independence from the White House.
Darci McConnell, communications director, right, talks to a voter as Madison Steigerwald, canvas lead, left, Kenneth Brooks, canvasser, second from right, watch, while canvassing with Michigan United Action for candidates including Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)(AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Progressive Challenges in Wisconsin and Minnesota
As Washington transitions, progressive candidates in key Midwestern primaries are mounting late, high-stakes pushes that amplify tensions within the Democratic Party.
Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, films a social media video at a pool party for content creators supporting his campaign, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)(AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Wisconsin: Democratic socialist Francesca Hong is campaigning for an upset in a crowded four-way Democratic primary for governor. Gov. Tony Evers, who is not seeking a third term, endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley on July 18—the same day Crowley reentered the race after briefly dropping out 10 days earlier. Crowley’s return followed the withdrawal of Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, who left the contest amid a campaign finance controversy. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes also exited the primary on July 29.
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, listens to a voter during a campaign event at the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Twin Cities Office in Minneapolis, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)(AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Establishment Democrats had hoped to consolidate support behind Crowley in the final days of a chaotic contest. Meanwhile, Republican strategists have poured resources into boosting Hong, betting she would be an easier November opponent for Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany. The Republican Governors Association has spent nearly $3.6 million through its Right Direction Wisconsin PAC on ads contrasting Hong’s progressive agenda with Trump and portraying her as a vulnerable general-election candidate.
Madison Steigerwald, canvas lead for Michigan United Action, rings a voter's doorbell while canvassing for candidates including Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)(AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Minnesota: The Democratic U.S. Senate primary pits establishment-backed Rep. Angie Craig against progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. The contest has been shaped in part by a contentious federal immigration enforcement operation staged near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building by the Minneapolis airport. Local protesters—armed with whistles and cellphones—rallied against the months-long deportation campaign. Two people were shot and killed in Minneapolis amid those confrontations before the White House scaled back enforcement under public pressure. Those clashes continue to inform voters and campaign messaging ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
International Angle: Strait Of Hormuz
Separately, Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States lifts what Tehran describes as a blockade, pays compensation for months of war damage, removes economic sanctions, and releases frozen Iranian assets. Tehran has characterized the closure of the Strait as the conflict’s most enduring consequence.
Why This Matters
These developments matter for several reasons: the attorney general appointment raises questions about Justice Department independence; the Midwestern primaries illustrate the left-versus-center battle shaping national Democratic strategy and candidate viability; and tensions in the Persian Gulf carry real consequences for global trade and geopolitics. Together, they underscore how local races, national politics and international crises can intersect in ways that influence policy and public sentiment.
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