Mainstream Democrats tremble before Fox news and the conservative media. Their handlers tell them don't talk about policy because they are walking a line between upsetting thier donors, upsetting the left and being attacked by the right. Progressives have shown embracing policies is a winning strategy, but they have also rejected donors and PACs giving them the freedom to do so. That has also resulted in silence about their campaigns from the mainstream media and the DNC funding their opponents even when they're the incumbents.

I agree with you but I would say the reason the Democratic party is odd because it is a party whose top candidates hates its most popular policies.