Five House Democratic incumbents have already lost their primaries to progressive challengers this cycle, and more are fighting for survival — a reckoning for a party that spent years making room for radicals who now want the whole house.

The same progressive energy establishment Democrats tolerated and occasionally stoked is now devouring them from within. Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado, a 68-year-old running for her 16th term, fell Tuesday to 29-year-old democratic socialist Melat Kiros, the Hartford Courant reported. She followed Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat of New York, who lost their primaries a week earlier. Eight House incumbents total have fallen in primaries this cycle — five of them Democrats — an unusually high tally, according to Kyle Kondik, an analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

The damage extends beyond the House. In Colorado, Sen. Michael Bennet fell short in his gubernatorial bid. In Maine, Gov. Janet Mills gained little traction in her Senate campaign. In Michigan, Rep. Haley Stevens — backed by Senate leadership — trails a progressive challenger in polls for her Senate race, though that contest is not settled.

Several more incumbents face August primaries. In Michigan, Rep. Shri Thanedar, 71, is being challenged by state Rep. Donavan McKinney, 34, who has Sen. Bernie Sanders' backing and the support of Black leaders in a majority-Black city that has not had a Black representative since Thanedar's 2022 win. In Missouri, Rep. Wesley Bell — who ousted progressive Cori Bush two years ago with help from pro-Israel spending — now faces Bush trying to reclaim the seat. Bush made her intentions clear after her 2024 loss: "AIPAC, I'm coming to tear your kingdom down," she said, per the Hartford Courant. In Hawaii, 73-year-old Rep. Ed Case faces state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, 42, running on generational change. In Connecticut, 77-year-old Rep. John Larson fights for a 15th term.

Meanwhile, Newsweek reports that Democrats hold a generic ballot lead heading into November. A Scripps News poll found 48 percent of voters favor Democratic candidates versus 39 percent for Republicans. Quinnipiac showed a 49-42 Democratic edge. Prediction markets favor Democrats to flip the House, where Republicans hold a slim 218-212 majority. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, predicted a "monumental defeat" for his party. Trump's declining approval — driven by cost-of-living concerns and the Iran war — fuels Democratic optimism.

But generic ballot leads don't seat candidates. The Cook Political Report views 18 races as toss-ups that could determine House control. And the party that takes the field in November may be one reshaped by primary voters who rejected the establishment.

The question neither party wants to answer honestly: does a House remade by its fringe actually win the swing districts that decide control?