Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are making waves in politics and setting their sights on the 2028 presidential election.
Following substantial victories in New York City, which highlighted the growing influence of progressive leftists within the Democratic Party, DSA leaders are keen to leverage their success. Their goal is to ensure a representative from their movement stands on the 2028 presidential primary debate stage, regardless of party preferences.
Megan Romer, DSA national co-chair, emphasized the need for change, stating, “What DSA represents is a real contrast to Democrats who have run the last couple of elections on fear. You can’t run on that. You have to offer an alternative. And it’s really important that we be involved in that conversation in 2028. It’s important that we have somebody saying sensible things.”
The DSA has already initiated the search process. Over the summer, they are distributing surveys to all 250 chapters, soliciting input on potential candidates and the rationale behind their choices. The findings are to be submitted to national leaders by September 15. DSA anticipates receiving detailed dossiers from chapters nationwide on who should champion the democratic socialist cause in 2028.
National discussions are planned, involving leaders like New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who at 84, is not expected to run in 2028. A formal vote is anticipated at the group’s 2027 convention, though timing may be adjusted if needed.
Romer noted, “We’re going to be talking about millions of hours knocking doors for 2028 — so when we decide to really run somebody, people have to feel like they had a say.”
Recently, Mamdani-supported candidates triumphed in three high-profile New York congressional primaries, defeating establishment-aligned rivals, including two incumbents. This success is a testament to Mamdani’s political influence and the left’s increasing power as 2028 approaches. At a Brooklyn rally, Mamdani stated, “They ask, ‘Who do you want to run in 2028?’ Then they ask, ‘When does the race for 2028 begin?’ It starts now. It starts on Tuesday.”
One significant figure in this conversation is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Although Ocasio-Cortez has not announced a presidential run for 2028, she is rumored to be eyeing the Senate seat held by Chuck Schumer. Her potential candidacy is a focal point in DSA discussions. However, Romer clarified that Ocasio-Cortez would need to undergo the same vetting process as any other candidate. “She will have to sell her campaign and why DSA should throw down behind it,” Romer stated, emphasizing that the decision rests with the group’s approximately 110,000 members across 250 chapters. “We don’t do kingmakers.”
The relationship between DSA and Ocasio-Cortez has been complex. While DSA supported her 2018 bid, the 2024 reelection endorsement came with conditions, causing a rift with NYC-DSA, which had already endorsed her and requested the withdrawal of the national leaders’ conditional backing.
When asked about DSA’s preference for Ocasio-Cortez, Romer remained neutral, stating, “If it reveals that every chapter is like, ‘We want AOC, we want AOC’ — that’s something that could come out of this process. And if that seems to be the overwhelming case, then that may be what we decide to do. We want to get in on the ground floor. It would be really great to be a day-one part of a campaign.”
Another pivotal figure is Mamdani.
From obscurity, Mamdani has emerged as one of the country’s most influential progressives, elevating democratic socialism similarly to Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders. However, Mamdani’s foreign birth renders him ineligible for the presidency. Romer jokingly mentioned, “Some people are like, let’s just run him — let’s just cause a constitutional crisis,” though she admitted she was “not sure everybody’s fully joking.”
The recent New York victories are part of a broader trend of DSA successes nationwide, including Chris Rabb’s win in Pennsylvania’s 3rd District and mayoral victories in Washington, D.C., and Seattle. The DSA is also supporting candidates like Melat Kiros challenging an incumbent in Colorado, Oliver Larkin in Florida, and Cori Bush aiming to regain her Missouri congressional seat. This active primary calendar reflects the DSA’s ambitious plans for 2028.
Bhaskar Sunkara, former DSA vice-chair and president of The Nation, remarked, “The sheer scale of what just happened in New York is historic. Nationally, this is a massive boon for the democratic socialist movement. The old institutional left is hollowed out — DSA has proven to be the only real mobilizational force left on the ground.”
Despite these achievements, Sunkara acknowledged challenges in extending DSA’s influence beyond urban strongholds. Moderate Democrats often view democratic socialist candidates as a liability in competitive areas, arguing they are too left-leaning to attract voters in swing districts and conservative states.
“A national map includes deep-red and rural districts where the left still has to figure out how to speak to working-class voters and compete,” Sunkara stated. “Having national platforms through multiple members of Congress is a start there too.”
DSA leaders believe their current momentum is the result of years of effort, following setbacks post-2018, including a pandemic that hampered organizing efforts, a Biden era described by Romer as a “wet blanket,” and a 2024 Kamala Harris campaign resistant to DSA’s push for leftward movement.
“The squad dropped off a bit,” Romer admitted. “2022 was a really, really tough year for left politics.”
In 2024, both Bush and Jamaal Bowman were defeated, with Bowman losing in what was then the most expensive House primary, largely due to AIPAC spending.
Now, the situation appears to be shifting again.
Looking toward 2028, the DSA is determined to spark a transformation within the Democratic Party, which they argue has distanced itself from its base while asking voters to compromise.
“The best possible thing that could happen is having a string of victories in the midterms and forcibly reshaping the way the national Democratic Party approaches some of these issues, and having a much larger presence in the Democratic primary, and hopefully the presidential candidacy,” said Hasan Piker, a prominent progressive Twitch streamer and influential voice in the democratic socialist movement, who campaigned heavily in New York for the full DSA slate.
Tuesday’s successes, he claimed, are a step toward mainstreaming far-left politics within the party.
As for his choice to lead the socialist charge in 2028, Piker is still hopeful for Ocasio-Cortez. “That could change, 2028 is far out,” he said. “But that’s what I got so far.”
