The Stunning Rise of the Democratic Socialists of America

This summer, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has mounted its biggest and most successful attempt yet to redefine the Democratic Party. From the East Coast to the West Coast, and in swing states, Democratic Socialists have won several races, notably in Michigan and Pennsylvania. In Florida, Democratic Socialist Angie Nixon crushed Alex Vidman, the retired military officer. This electoral success has been accompanied by a significant shift in public opinion, with two in three Democrats now holding a favorable view of socialism. However, as its electoral success grows, the organization is confronting big, unresolved questions about what it stands for and what its relationship to the Democratic Party should be.

The DSA's Resurgence and Bernie Sanders' Influence

Charlie Homans explains that the DSA has been around for a long time in various forms, but for all intents and purposes, this group wasn't really on the radar of a lot of people in politics until 2017. This was the year when Zohran Mamdani won in New York, and it marked the beginning of a remarkable run of congressional Democratic primary wins. Homans spent weeks talking to DSA members and candidates, and he came away feeling that this is a real rising force in Democratic politics. However, he also believes that as the DSA grows its footprint in American politics, it might be its own worst enemy in terms of its future. The DSA is not built as a political party; it's a much more fractious organization with a lot of constituencies holding very different ideas about how to pursue their aims in politics. Homans notes that these debates have been happening throughout much of the history of American socialism, and they are now happening inside the DSA in a way that is really going to affect its future as a force in American politics.

Bernie Sanders, though never a member of the DSA, self-identifies as a Democratic Socialist and became a pivotal figure in the modern evolution of the organization. He campaigned on policies like Medicare for All and a $15 minimum wage. Sanders' message resonated with a populist anger stemming from the 2008 financial crisis, highlighting how the establishment had rigged the system against working people. This appeal, reminiscent of the post-Gilded Age and Great Depression eras when wealth inequality was enormous, showed that self-identified socialists could do quite well in a Democratic primary. Sanders reclaimed the word "socialist," making it something a left-wing candidate could run on. His candidacy sparked a movement, and after the election, many of his supporters joined the DSA, causing its membership to skyrocket from 6,000 to 30,000 members over the course of 2017. This influx also dramatically changed the demographics of the organization, with the median age of a DSA member dropping from 68 to 33 after 2016.