You say "the left" like it is a well-defined thing or a single entity. Just because those that were further-left than centrist democrats existed and opposed th

You say "the left" like it is a well-defined thing or a single entity. Just because those that were further-left than centrist democrats existed and opposed their centrist democrats policies doesn't mean centrist democrats weren't considered "on the left" by a great many people, who would also be considered left of the Republicans at the time.