Commentary, Politics

35+ DSA-Backed Wins and Counting: Socialist Surge Reshaping Democrat Primaries

Posted on by Bill McCarthy

The published claim of “27 and counting” ultra-progressive or socialist Democrat primary wins is close but understates the momentum. Reliable tallies put DSA-endorsed or aligned candidates at around 35 victories (out of roughly 150 endorsed this cycle), with more results pending and additional progressive upsets beyond strict DSA labels. This isn’t fringe noise—it’s a measurable leftward lurch in safe Democratic districts, driven by activist primary voters. Here’s the accurate breakdown based on current data, key candidates, November prospects, and the bigger picture for America.

The Real Numbers: DSA’s Primary Haul

DSA’s own tracker and independent analyses (Washington Examiner) confirm 35+ wins so far, including congressional, state legislative, and local races. They report 38 total primary victories across their endorsed slate, with 14 wins and 9 losses in 2025 off-year contests for context. Not every “ultra-progressive” is formally DSA, but the overlap is massive—AOC, Bernie-aligned fighters, and Justice Democrats types dominate the surge.

This cycle’s highlights cluster in deep-blue strongholds, where radicals face little general-election risk.

Key Individual Candidates and Races

New York Sweep (Biggest Cluster)

  • Darializa Avila Chevalier (NY-13 Congressional): DSA-backed community organizer defeated five-term incumbent Adriano Espaillat (Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair). Narrow but decisive win. Safe Democratic district—95%+ chance of November victory.
  • Claire Valdez (NY-7 Congressional): DSA state assemblywoman crushed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso by 20+ points. Safe seat—near-certain win.
  • Brad Lander (NY-10 Congressional): Former comptroller (DSA-adjacent) routed incumbent Dan Goldman by ~30 points. Safe—heavy favorite.
  • State-level: Multiple DSA wins including Jabari Brisport (State Senate), Emily Gallagher (Assembly), Samantha Kattan, David Orkin (defeated incumbent), Christian Tate, Eon Huntley, Illapa Sairitupac, Adam Bojak (Buffalo). AOC herself won renomination overwhelmingly (~87%). All safe or heavily favored in November.

Colorado Standout

  • Melat Kiros (CO-1 Congressional): 29-year-old DSA-backed graduate student upset long-time incumbent Diana DeGette. Deep-blue Denver seat—very high likelihood of win (90%+). Positions far left on key issues.

Maine Senate Test Case

  • Graham Platner: Veteran/oysterman who embraced democratic socialism at Bernie events. Won Democratic primary in landslide (72%). Faces incumbent Susan Collins (R). Competitive race—recent polls show toss-up territory (e.g., 49-47 range). Collins has durability, but Platner’s grassroots energy and scandals make this the cycle’s biggest “socialist vs. establishment” general election test. Lean competitive/Collins edge historically, but winnable for Dems.

Other Notable Wins

  • Chris Rabb (PA-3 Congressional): DSA/Working Families/AOC-backed, won primary. Safe Democratic—strong favorite.
  • Janeese Lewis George (DC Mayor): DSA member won primary blowout—locks in general election win.
  • Local/Additional: Wins in Philadelphia, Oregon, California (various legislative/council), Los Angeles runoffs (Nithya Raman DSA-aligned), Seattle (Katie Wilson socialist mayor previously), and scattered state races in Georgia, North Carolina, etc. Total DSA haul hits ~35-38 depending on exact counting.

November Prospects: Safe Seats vs. Real Tests

Most of these victories are in deep-blue urban enclaves or safe districts. General election win rates for these candidates: 80-95%+ in places like NY-7/10/13/14, CO-1, PA-3, and DC. They face token or no Republican opposition. The real story is downstream: more Squad-style voices in Congress pushing Medicare for All expansions, aggressive wealth taxes, Israel policy shifts, and cultural priorities that alienate moderates and working-class voters.

The outlier with stakes: Platner vs. Collins in Maine. Toss-up dynamics mean ~45-55% odds either way—crucial for Senate control. Platner’s baggage (past radical posts, scandals) gives Republicans ammunition.

What This Means for America

This surge signals deeper Democrat fracturing. Primary electorates in activist-heavy areas reward purity—defund echoes, open borders sympathy, Green New Deal revival, and foreign policy realism that critics call isolationist or worse. Safe-seat wins entrench radicals who amplify the party’s most toxic impulses without electoral penalty. Nationally, it pushes the Overton window left, making “moderate” Democrats seem extreme by comparison and handing Republicans clear contrasts on borders, costs, crime, and competence.

America First perspective: Bad news for governance. Socialism-lite experiments have track records of failure—higher taxes chasing businesses away (see California’s exodus), energy unreliability, and cultural division. More DSA-aligned members mean louder pushes for policies that weaken sovereignty, strain budgets, and prioritize ideology over results. Voters outside blue bubbles reject it, but primaries select for it. Expect continued internal warfare (centrist backlash already visible), higher polarization, and opportunities for Republicans to win by default on sanity.

The count is real and growing. This isn’t a blip—it’s the activist base asserting control where it can. For the country, it underscores why primaries matter and why contrasting radicalism with practical conservatism remains the path forward. Safe seats will fill with more AOCs. Competitive ones will test whether the brand travels. History says it doesn’t.

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