Democratic socialists are back in the spotlight after notching two high-profile mayoral primary victories in major cities this month, reigniting debate over whether their policy ideas are gaining traction within the Democratic Party or simply reflecting voters' desire for change.
In Washington, D.C., progressive Democrat Janeese Lewis George outperformed moderate Kenyan McDuffie, all but assuring she will succeed Mayor Muriel Bowser after winning the primary this past week. The week before in Los Angeles, fellow Democratic Socialists of America member Nithya Raman advanced to a November runoff against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass (D), having surged past Republican Spencer Pratt.
Their successes follow the most prominent DSA election victory in recent history: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo twice last summer, first for the party nomination and then again in the general election as an independent candidate. The 34-year-old Mamdani proposed rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores, universal childcare and free city buses.
In Los Angeles, Raman launched a last-minute bid with progressive approaches to homelessness and housing costs, shaking up the mayor's race against Bass.
Lewis George is now on track to easily take the mayor's office this fall, pitching a progressive platform and aggressive resistance to federal overreach as Trump has warned that the government could 'take back' D.C. if a 'crazy socialist' is ultimately elected.
What the Right Is Saying
Jim Kessler, executive vice president for policy at the center-left think tank Third Way, cautioned that national Democrats risk taking the wrong lesson from these results. 'If they take that lesson, they're doomed,' Kessler said. He argued Democrats need to win 60 percent of the moderate vote in general elections and that it would be a mistake to think candidates who win in cities can win nationwide.
Kessler noted other cities have held primaries where more progressive mayors were unseated by moderates promising change, including San Francisco, where Daniel Lurie prevailed as mayor in 2024. 'So in cities, you're seeing trends that are going in both directions,' Kessler said, pointing to recent primary victories of Democrats James Talarico in Texas, Josh Turek in Iowa and Roy Cooper in North Carolina.
'There's all sorts of enticements for a Democratic candidate to move to the left,' Kessler noted, citing easier media attention and fundraising from the more politically engaged left-leaning wing. But he cautioned, 'That Democrat cannot win a general election.' He added that presidential elections are not won in cities but in suburbs.
Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright argued these results represent more of a generational conversation than a surge of interest in DSA ideology. 'I'm shocked by people assessing the mayoral successes and trying to look up under the hood and use this as some sort of measure of all aspects of Democratic politics or national politics,' he said, calling the results largely isolated.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic Socialists of America Co-Chair Megan Romer said she sees the candidates' recent successes as a testament to the growing democratic socialist movement, noting the group has more than 100,000 members and expanded its political machine with door-knockers and volunteers to reach prospective voters. 'People are drawn to authenticity,' Romer said. 'Zohran Mamdani is a very different type of candidate than Janeese Lewis George, but they are both very authentic.'
Romer disagreed that the solution for Democrats is moving to the center, arguing former Vice President Kamala Harris's mistake in her 2024 presidential campaign was moving to the center on issues like immigration, transgender rights and Gaza. She said voters are also gravitating toward authenticity, pointing to New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger as examples of Democrats who ran with clear cost-of-living messages.
Veteran political strategist Doug Sosnik, former senior adviser to then-President Clinton, said he thinks the recent DSA wins validate economic populist policies championed by those candidates. 'People not only want change, but they also want their elected officials to focus on the middle class and break up a system that currently favors the rich and powerful,' Sosnik said. He noted the same trend is true for Republicans, pointing to Trump's election in 2016 and 2024.
New York-based Democratic strategist Jon Reinish argued it is more about policy, energy and desire to overthrow business as usual than pure ideological commitment to socialism. 'If it happens to be a DSA or DSA-affiliated person who is going to make a case against the establishment, that person has a better chance of catching fire,' he said.
What the Numbers Show
The DSA has grown into the largest socialist organization in the country with more than 100,000 members. The group surfaced in the 1980s as a left-wing advocacy organization before gaining mainstream political attention when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ran for president in 2016.
Decision Desk HQ polling aggregates show Democrats remain 11 points underwater on party favorability nationally, though that score has improved since the beginning of the year. Republicans are roughly 14 points underwater by comparison.
Mamdani won his New York City office last summer with a bold affordability agenda including rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores and free public transit, defeating Cuomo in both the Democratic primary and general election.
Lewis George outperformed McDuffie in D.C.'s mayoral race after eight years of Bowser's leadership. In Los Angeles, Raman advanced past Pratt to face Bass in November.
The Bottom Line
The dual victories raise questions about whether DSA candidates represent a durable shift within the Democratic coalition or localized responses to city-specific concerns. Strategists across the political spectrum agree voters are hungry for change and authenticity, but diverge sharply on what that means for party positioning heading into 2026 midterms and 2028.
The outcomes will be closely watched as Lewis George prepares to lead D.C. through Trump's second term while Raman attempts an upset against a sitting incumbent in Los Angeles. Whether their platforms translate beyond deep-blue urban districts remains to be seen, but the wins have already emboldened progressive organizers and alarmed moderate Democrats who worry about overcorrecting from 2024 losses.