At the same time, a big part of the problem is that progressives are pursuing political office. It's a serious mistake as the labor movement and the Civil Rights movement did not succeed by getting their activists into office.
I don't know when it started, but the idea that these movements need to hold office is doomed to failure. The constitution and wider bureaucracy of government is designed to prevent movement and to slow activity down. Political movements have much more freedom and influence when they concentrate collective power outside government. Like look at Jimmy Hoffa and Martin Luther King Jr. Politicians in office are hamstrung by the rules and laws of that office and that government - a government designed to place the interests of the wealthy and powerful over the common people.
So, it is smarter to support leaders outside government that can organize and motivate massive numbers of common people to force action on the part of the people in the offices. After all, the wealthy and powerful are using that wealth and power to force government to do what they want and they don't hold office. Even fake billionaire Trump is a lightweight compared to the real economic titans who would consider being a president several steps down for them.