After a disappointing performance in California’s primary elections, “reality has intruded” on progressive Democrats’ midterm hopes, according to a report.

Progressive Democrats suffered multiple losses in the deep-blue state of California on Tuesday.

“The far left was talking a big game at the start of this cycle, but reality has intruded. Democratic voters keep saying, over and over, that they do not want what the far left is selling,” said Third Way think tank co-founder Matt Bennett.

San Francisco voters recalled Soros-backed District Attorney Chesa Boudin (D) in northern California, with the “yes” vote receiving more than 60 percent. In southern California, Republican-turned-Democrat Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso forced a runoff election with former Democrat Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA).

Bass earned 37 percent of the vote compared to Caruso’s 42.1 percent, which is short of the 50 percent necessary to avoid a runoff election. A common theme of Caruso’s candidacy and Boudin’s recall election was crime, which is out of control in both Democrat-run cities.

Businessman Rick Caruso and U.S. Rep. Karen Bass observe during the mayoral debate at Bovard Auditorium on the USC campus on March 22, 2022. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Democrat consultant Kevin Liao said the elections are about “making sure to address the feeling of safety that people are going through in their everyday lives.”

“That will only permeate more in the general election,” Liao continued. “Do the big national Democratic figures and groups come out in support of Bass? Do you get [Sens.] Bernie [Sanders] and Elizabeth Warren endorsements and visits?”

Adding to the progressives’ woes is the fact that Texas election officials declared Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) the winner against progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros just days before the California primary. Cisneros was expected to become the next member of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s “Squad,” while Cuellar is often thought of as one of the most conservative Democrats in the House.

One Democrat strategist admitted the party is going into an “uphill battle” ahead of the November midterms.

“Progressives have an uphill battle in this political environment,” said longtime Democrat strategist Joel Payne. “There are a lot of progressives in positions of influence and power at a time where the country is unhappy with its leadership,”

“The country’s been in a constant state of tumult,” Payne continued. “People are unhappy with everybody and everything right now. And they’re going to reach at the closest thing they can grasp at. That’s usually the incumbent.”