WASHINGTON — Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates have continued to notch victories in Democratic primary elections across several states this year, strengthening the organization's influence within the party's progressive wing while renewing debate over its direction ahead of the November midterm elections.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the country's largest socialist political organization, said it has endorsed more than 150 candidates for offices ranging from city councils to Congress during the 2026 election cycle. According to the organization and independent reporting, dozens of those candidates have either won their primaries or advanced to general elections, with several defeating incumbent Democrats in heavily Democratic districts.
Among the most closely watched contests were congressional primaries in New York, where DSA-backed candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier secured Democratic nominations. Elsewhere, candidates aligned with the organization, including Melat Kiros in Colorado and Pennsylvania state Representative Christopher Rabb, also won Democratic primary contests, according to election reporting and public campaign results.
The recent results have fueled discussion within the Democratic Party over the growing strength of its left flank. Supporters of the movement argue the victories reflect voter demand for candidates emphasizing affordable housing, labor rights, universal healthcare and economic inequality. DSA officials have said the organization intends to continue expanding its electoral efforts at the local, state and federal levels.
Some centrist Democrats, however, have expressed concern that the party could face broader electoral challenges if progressive candidates become more dominant in competitive races. Political analysts have noted that most of the recent DSA-backed victories have occurred in strongly Democratic districts, where the primary effectively determines the eventual officeholder.
The organization has gained visibility since the 2016 presidential campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders and the subsequent election of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, although Sanders is not a DSA member. Reuters reported earlier this month that the group now says it has more than 100,000 members nationwide and has broadened its network of endorsed candidates in the 2026 cycle.
Additional Democratic primaries remain scheduled in several states over the coming weeks, offering further tests of whether candidates aligned with democratic socialist policies can maintain their momentum before the November general election. Election officials have not yet certified all outstanding primary results in jurisdictions where vote counting remains underway.
