Socialists Gain Ground in Congress, Setting Up Fight Over Democratic Agenda

Democratic Socialists of America are celebrating over 50 wins from Tuesday night’s midterm elections. With some races yet to be called, there will be at least five new socialists entering the House of Representatives and one entering the Senate for the 120th Congress.

“Over 50 DSA victories tonight prove socialism can win in the U.S. Workers deserve more and a reality where all of us live with dignity and hope is closer than we think,” the DSA said in a statement. “The job’s not done, though. Tomorrow, we continue organizing, fighting, and winning for the working class!”

The incoming DSA freshmen will join two existing DSA House members, making their group in the lower chamber number at least seven. This will be the largest group of socialists in U.S. Congress since the first was elected in 1910. While still low in numbers compared with the 242 other winning Democrats, their bloc could shift leadership votes and influence significant votes on Medicare for All and military spending.

“Ronald Reagan used to warn about communism, he talked about it, but it was a distant threat across the world,” Speaker Mike Johnson said. in a warning on the campaign trail. “And now the barbarians are inside the gate … This is not your father’s Democratic Party. That party’s long gone.”

America will now see if Johnson’s warnings were accurate or if his months spent campaigning on these socialist candidates were exaggerated.

Their first taste of power will be in the Democrat party’s leadership race expected to take place on November 17. No DSA-affiliated candidates have backed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who has also not backed their group but is likely to be speaker.

“I am nobody’s rubber stamp…I’m committed to transformative change,” said DSA-endorsed Chris Rabb, who will represent Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District.

While their candidates unseated established Democratic members and won in many blue seats, none of their members or endorsed candidates flipped Republican seats.

Three Republicans Hold the Line

Republican incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody defeated state Rep. Angie Nixon in the Senate race in Florida. Nixon is a DSA member but was not endorsed by the group.

Republican incumbent Sen. Bill Hagerty defeated Marquita Bradshaw, who was endorsed by the local Memphis-Midsouth DSA but not the national group. Hagerty wins a second Senate term in Tennessee.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise defeated DSA-endorsed Lauren Jewett in Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District. Scalise announced his run for House minority leader for the 120th Congress Wednesday morning.

DSA Touting Wins

The most significant win for DSA was Abdul El-Sayed winning the Michigan Senate race against Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed is not a member of the group, nor was he endorsed; however, he shares many of their policy goals like Medicare for All, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, taxing billionaires, permanent affordable housing, and ending military aid to Israel.

Also in Michigan, Democratic incumbent Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a DSA-endorsed incumbent who won reelection in Michigan, defeated Republican James Hooper by over 50% of the vote.

DSA-endorsed Democratic incumbent Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also a DSA member, held her seat in New York against Republican Diamant Hysenaj, collecting over 55% of the vote. The significant DSA win could push AOC to run for president in 2028.

DSA-endorsed Chris Rabb won in Pennsylvania, Donavan McKinney won in Michigan, and Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez won in New York.

Melat Kiros, a DSA-endorsed candidate, won in Colorado. Kiros was expected to win after defeating Democratic incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette in the July primary. DeGette, an establishment Democrat, had represented the district since 1997.

A notable local win from the night was DSA-endorsed Janeese Lewis George, who will be the mayor of Washington, D.C.

Too Soon to Call

Decision Desk HQ has not yet called California’s 34th Congressional District. However, the DSA announced its candidate, Angela Gonzales-Torres, as the winner. She ran against Democratic incumbent Rep. Jimmy Gomez after they finished as the top two candidates in the June nonpartisan primary, allowing for two Democrats to appear on the general ballot. Gomez is seeking his sixth term while under a House Ethics Committee investigation after a former staffer made allegations of nonconsensual sexual misconduct against him. Gomez, who is married, claims the relationship was consensual.

The final federal race with a DSA-endorsed candidate yet to be called is Mai Vang in California. According to DDHQ, Vang is closely trailing Democratic incumbent Rep. Doris Matsui.

In total, there will be five new socialists in the U.S. House of Representatives, six if Gonzales-Torres beats Gomez.

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