Throughout the history of American politics, various candidates for public office have deviated from the democratic principles and constitutional ideals that underpin the nation. Some famous examples include David Duke, who promoted white supremacy and antisemitic ideas, George Lincoln Rockwell, a known Nazi who vied for the presidency, Lyndon LaRouche, who repeatedly ran for president with antisemitic conspiracy theories, and Earl Browder, who aligned his presidential campaigns with Soviet communism.
Recently, candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have emerged as contentious figures due to their views and public records. The DSA platform explicitly seeks to eliminate capitalism and establish a system of social ownership, reduce policing and incarceration drastically, and diminish American military power. The organization’s website openly criticizes capitalism, describing it as a system designed by the owning class to exploit others for profit. The platform includes aims to cut the U.S. military budget significantly, close overseas bases, and withdraw from NATO. The DSA’s National Political Committee has stated that it stands for dismantling the United States empire and has accused America of imperialism for actions against an Iranian terrorist leader responsible for numerous American deaths.
These are not positions falsely attributed by critics but rather statements from the organization’s own national leadership.
The DSA has adopted a strategy called the “dirty break,” endeavoring to utilize the Democratic Party’s ballot line to eventually create an independent working-class party, while temporarily endorsing candidates to run under Democratic affiliation. This approach mirrors the strategy Donald Trump employed to gain control of the Republican Party, using accusations against Barack Obama and stoking racial anxieties to fuel his rise to power. Similarly, the DSA’s left-wing faction is fueling progressive antisemitic sentiments, reflected in the concerning records of DSA-endorsed candidates.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, who recently won the Democratic nomination for New York’s 13th Congressional District, has encouraged Americans to “seize the means of production” and has expressed controversial views, such as wiping her hand on an American flag for lack of a napkin. She has advocated for abolishing police, prisons, and borders. Chevalier’s retweets have praised figures like Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro and criticized a bookstore for not including Stalin’s works in a banned books display. She attended a “globalize the Intifada” rally following violent attacks, which were heralded as resistance.
Melat Kiros, having succeeded long-serving Democrat Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, described violent attacks as inevitable consequences of American and Israeli policies. She refrained from labeling a firebombing at a Jewish event as antisemitism despite clear intent. She has advocated the elimination of the Israeli state, resonating with rhetoric from hostile entities.
I am a Democrat, with past roles in the White House under President Clinton, at the State Department with Madeleine Albright, and the United Nations in Cambodia. Two decades ago, I ran for Congress in Missouri. I believe firmly in a government’s role in safeguarding the vulnerable and creating conditions for all to reach their full potential. Despite being a strong critic of Donald Trump for damaging democratic values and self-serving at public expense, Democrats must ensure accountability and apply the same standards they demand from Republicans.
Democrats have rightly criticized Republicans for silence on Nazism, the January 6 insurrection, political purges, election undermining, and cuts to aid programs. Now, it’s crucial to address the toxic influence of the DSA candidates, whose objectives and words indicate potential shifts for the Democratic Party and country. If Democrats condemn extremism and bigotry on the right, they must also do so on the left, taking definitive action. Allowing such candidates into the Democratic rank as part of a quest to secure congressional majority, even if successful, risks future crises with potential hostage agendas.
It is vital for Democratic leaders to denounce the policies and candidates of the DSA that misrepresent the party’s essence. Standing silent would not only betray the Democratic standard but might lead to losing the country’s core values to extremists. I encourage you to support a Change.org petition urging Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic leadership to oppose Darializa Avila Chevalier’s candidacy, taking a definitive stand against bigotry and anti-democratic principles.
Jamie Metzl, futurist, author, and founder of OneShared.World, has contributed to the US National Security Council and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The opinions expressed here are his own.
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