The progressive movement that dominated the Democratic Party beginning in the Obama era is rapidly losing ground.

Ideas that once seemed politically unchallengeable on the left — from defunding police to abolishing fossil fuels — have hit a wall of public rejection by the voters.

So, as the Democratic Party’s progressive momentum fades, some of its top thinkers are trying to regain stability by returning to the political center.

I spoke to Ruy Teixeira, a seasoned political scientist and commentator whose ideas on elections carry real weight. Many of the party’s top leaders listen to him. He’s also the founder of the excellent, thought-provoking The Liberal Patriot.