WASHINGTON, D.C. — A prominent progressive activist says Democrats and their allies on the left must set aside internal disputes and remain laser-focused on winning the two Georgia Senate contests that will determine who controls the United States Senate.

While centrist Democrats like Virginia Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger says progressive slogans like "defund the police" and the policies associated with democratic socialism are what led to some moderate Democrats losing their House seats in the 2020 election, Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell argues now is not the time to dim the enthusiasm of progressive voices.

"The progressive component of the electorate is unmatched and that energy, that desire to ensure we have a Congress that can deliver the big change that people voted for will ensure those two Senate seats are flipped, said Mitchell in a Skype interview Thursday.

With all eyes on the two Georgia Senate races, Louisville Congressman John Yarmuth says both factions of the Democratic Party need to be listened to and that the internal conflict is more nuanced than it appears.

"The biggest criticism of my party is they think everybody makes an analysis based on the issues. Most voters don’t. Most voters vote with their gut, not their head. The one thing you have to do is to make sure voters respect you and you empathize with them," said Yarmuth.

When asked if the left is willing to engage with the critiques made by Spanberger on a Democratic caucus call earlier this month where she said Democrats “need to not ever use the term ‘socialist’ or ‘socialism’ ever again,” Mitchell said it is too early to assign blame. "Any big claims require big proof points. And we’re still counting votes," he said.

"I think we all would do better to have a posture of humility and look at the electorate as all people who need to be persuaded and not look at voting blocs but look at actual people in communities that have real issues at a time when this crisis, this pandemic is killing our friends and families and tens of millions of people are out of work," he added.

The Georgia Working Families Party already has a robust operation underway. Texts have gone out to 700,000 registered voters. Mitchell says investing in the Black women who have been organizing for years to put Georgia at the point where it can be flippable is the best strategy for the left.

"Ultimately I think everyday working people are not so concerned with partisanship or ideology. They want a fighter. They want to elect someone who is truly going to be accountable to them and will fight for the interests of working people," said Mitchell.

According to Inside Elections, Democrats have won just one of eight runoff statewide general or special election runoffs in the past 30 years.