The Democratic Socialists of America is an ascendant force in U.S. politics. This summer alone, it has toppled incumbents in the House of Representatives, clinched mayorships, and laid the groundwork for increased power at the state level.
The DSA counts Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as members. Its caucuses are split over whether to co-opt the Democratic Party’s electoral infrastructure or to abandon the legacy institution outright. Yet, at least for the time being, the DSA has launched insurgent bids in Democratic primaries across the country.
Below is the complete list of candidates backed by the DSA’s national and local affiliates, actively updated as candidates win and lose their primary races. The list includes races for federal offices, governors, and major city mayoral offices.
DSA CO-CHAIRMAN DEFENDS PLAN TO ABOLISH SENATE: ‘WE DON’T THINK THAT’S EXTREME’
House of Representatives
Overall, the DSA has backed 29 House candidates this cycle. Of those candidates, 11 were already defeated in primaries, and seven have advanced to the general election. A further 11 are vying in primaries still to be held. Seven DSA-backed candidates have won their primaries outright.
The DSA’s success has come in deep-blue seats. In Colorado, former lawyer and barista Melat Kiros bested 30-year incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) in the Denver-based 1st Congressional District. The 29-year-old Kiros ran with the support of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on a platform of Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and ending aid to Israel. DeGette, 68, lost the primary by nearly 14 points. Former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district in 2022 by 56 percentage points.
In Pennsylvania, state Rep. Chris Rabb advanced to the general election for a Philadelphia-based seat from a crowded and contentious primary over more moderate opponents. He’s set to replace retiring Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA) in the most Democratic-leaning district in the country.
The DSA also ousted incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in the Democratic primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District. DSA-backed Darializa Avila Chevalier, who criticized Espaillat for having the support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, won the Manhattan and Bronx-based seat by four percentage points. Avila Chevalier was endorsed by Mamdani.
Those wins have only empowered the DSA to expand the map. The group is backing former Rep. Cori Bush’s primary challenge to Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO). Bush, who served in Congress from 2021 to 2025, lost the St. Louis-based district to Bell after facing a deluge of AIPAC spending. The pro-Israel PAC is once again coming to Bell’s aid ahead of the Aug. 4 primary. Harris won the district by nearly 60 points in 2024.
MARXISTS, SOCIALISTS, AND THE ‘RED STAR’: HERE ARE THE DSA’S MOST PROMINENT CAUCUSES
DSA-backed Donovan McKinney is also running to oust Rep. Shri Thanedar in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 13th congressional district. McKinney, a state representative, has garnered the backing of DSA heavyweight Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Sanders.
The DSA is not just running primary challenges to incumbent Democrats, however. It’s also running candidates for the Democratic nomination in safe GOP seats.
DSA-backed Hartzell Gray is vying for the Democratic nomination to take on Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) in a Kansas City-area district that was retooled during a 2025 redistricting session. Gray, a radio host, would have an uphill climb in the district, which went for President Donald Trump by nearly 20 points.
DSA-backed Oliver Larkin is challenging two-term Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), a centrist Democrat, in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary. The seat was redrawn to favor Republicans earlier this year. Emily Berge is the president of the Eau Claire City Council. She’s vying to take on Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), but is a heavy underdog against Rebecca Cooke, the 2024 Democratic nominee who has raised more than $8 million so far, in the Aug. 11 primary. Trump won the district by more than 7 points in 2024, but Van Orden won by fewer than 4 points.
Senate
Former state Sen. Troy Jackson ran for the Maine Democratic gubernatorial nomination earlier this summer with the backing of the DSA. He finished third, but the implosion of Graham Platner’s Senate campaign following rape allegations has put Jackson in the driver’s seat for the nomination to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) ahead of a July 25 convention. The DSA has not yet weighed in on his Senate campaign.
Governor
State Rep. Francesca Hong is currently leading in the polls for the open gubernatorial seat in Wisconsin. Before running for governor, Hong embraced calls to defund and abolish police following the 2020 protests in response to the death of George Floyd in police custody.
Hong has largely stood by those remarks. Hong also recently apologized for calling the police in 2023 to report an image that some believed to be antisemitic. The incident arose at an anti-Israel protest, and Hong said her contacting law enforcement conflicted with her broader views on policing.
Local races
D.C. Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George, a socialist, forcefully won the Democratic primary to replace retiring Mayor Muriel Bowser. Lewis George prevailed over former Councilman Kenyan McDuffie, who ran a centrist campaign.
DSA’S NEW PLATFORM SEEKS TO ‘REPLACE’ PRESIDENCY AND SUPREME COURT, NIX ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Self-described socialist Nithya Raman advanced to the general election in her race against incumbent Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, though the DSA has not formally endorsed Raman.
The Los Angeles DSA censured Raman for accepting an endorsement from a pro-Israel Democratic club in 2024, a point that the local party holds against the city councilwoman in its primary election voting guide.