Can democratic socialists go mainstream? | Studio 2 from WHYY | 07/06/26

Democratic socialist candidates are on a winning streak. In Pennsylvania, State Rep. Chris Rabb clinched a Philadelphia congressional primary in May. And similar candidates won big in deep-blue districts in New York, California, and Colorado. There are also Democratic Socialists of America candidates running in upcoming primaries in Michigan and Wisconsin. This leftist surge is causing some centrist Democrats to panic, worrying the D.S.A. faction of the party will alienate more mainstream voters needed to win swing and statewide elections. Meanwhile, Republicans have seized on the comments from some of the most left-leaning candidates, including New York congressional nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier, who has deleted social media posts calling for the abolishment of police, prisons, borders and ICE. She also attended a pro-Palestinian rally in Times Square the day after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Republicans are now painting all progressives as extreme and have started to link them to communism, as President Donald Trump did multiple times over the July 4 holiday. But will the Republican messaging work? Is the D.S.A. too far left for the majority of Americans or has the movement taped into an energy and frustration with the status quo? Can they connect to swing voters outside deep-blue cities or will they alienate them ahead of the general midterms? Today, we’ll talk with a D.S.A. politician and a centrist strategist to debate whether the leftward shift in the Democratic Party is a winning or losing strategy heading into the midterms. Guests: — Nikil Saval, Pennsylvania state senator representing District 1 in Philadelphia as a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. — Matt Bennett, co-founder and executive vice president of public affairs for Third Way