Jessica Costescu writes for the Washington Free Beacon about significant action on the political left.
The Democratic Socialists of America sent a clear message to Democrats during its biennial convention: We’re in charge now. Zohran Mamdani’s surprise win wasn’t an anomaly, delegates said, but rather the start of the DSA’s rise to power over the Democratic Party.
Roughly 1,200 DSA members gathered over the weekend at McCormick Place, Chicago’s convention center, to solidify the party’s platform. Tickets for the three-day convention, attended by the Washington Free Beacon, cost $225 and required party membership. Attendees were also required to submit proof of a negative COVID test prior to arrival. A convention live-stream was exclusive to registered DSA members. In-person attendees, primarily delegates elected by their local DSA chapters and a few observers, were requested to keep the convention center’s location confidential. Only delegates could deliver two-minute speeches supporting or opposing resolutions, which required a two-thirds majority to pass. Most speakers identified themselves only by their first name, last initial, and home chapter.
Delegates celebrated Mamdani’s win. More importantly, they said he served as a template for future candidates.
“We need to run campaigns that win. Campaigns like Zohran Mamdani, which put forward a bold vision of a socialist society,” Nate K., a delegate from Atlanta, said during a speech Saturday morning debating a resolution on whether to put forth a socialist candidate in 2028. “Zohran shows that Palestine is a winning issue. That socialism is a winning issue.”
“The time for protest campaigns and messaging is over. The time for winning is now,” he continued. “We can win the Democratic primary in 2028. There’s polls now that show that a majority of the Democratic primary electorate supports Palestine and would want a Democratic socialist to win the presidential primary in 2028.”
