LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – What used to be viewed by some as a fringe group is now gaining a foothold inside the Democratic Party. Although the party boasts a big tent, the growing influence of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is not a welcome ideology among old-school Democrats.

Who are the Democratic Socialists of America?

According to its website, the DSA describes itself not as a party, but as a “political and activist organization.” It boasts more than 120,000 members as of last month and has chapters in every state, including nine in Michigan. The DSA focuses on “working people [who] should run both the economy and society democratically to meet human needs, not to make profits for a few.”

In other words, the DSA advocates government power to redistribute people’s money.

Given that, it’s no surprise that the DSA stands behind ideas like “Tax the Rich,” the Green New Deal, housing justice, Medicare for All, trans rights and bodily autonomy.

A big tent or a big divide?

While the Democratic Party likes to circle the wagons behind its candidates at election time, the party continues to splinter over traditional ideas and DSA ideologies. Ken Braun, the Capital Research Center’s managing editor, is a native Michigander and has worked in the state Legislature. He told Michigan News Source that although the DSA has gained attention in recent news cycles, the American left has been fractured since the 1960s.

He said the “Old Left” focused on class warfare. He said, “[It] evolved alongside the labor union movement as a far more radical version of same. For example, the UAW of 1955 might fight for higher wages, shorter hours, richer benefits, and so forth. The old left socialists of the era would strongly support all of that, plus a much larger welfare state, wealth redistribution, and so forth.”

There’s a crisp distinction between that thinking and the “New Left,” according to Braun. He said the “New Left” progressed beyond a simple class struggle, instead championing what he calls “cultural flashpoints.” He said that includes “opposition to the draft, opposition to the Vietnam War, opposition to police (thus the Weather Underground terrorists) and eventually taking sides with many avowed enemies of the United States.”

He added, “Improving the lot of the working class was a side show for the New Left. They wanted to go far beyond that to promote the overthrow capitalism, American culture, and even the American government.”

The Bernie factor

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is a noted self-described Democratic socialist and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) received the DSA’s backing in 2024. Both campaigned alongside U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in the lead-up to the Michigan primary.

In addition, Sanders upset Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Michigan presidential primary. Braun said Sanders preached the class-struggle message that appeared to resonate with some voters.

It’s not your grandfather’s Democratic Party

The DSA’s influence can be seen on Michigan’s ballot. Those candidates include U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian member of Congress.  In addition, DSA candidate Donavan McKinney primaried sitting U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. William Lawrence, who is running against incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, describes himself as a DSA member but left the organization shortly before winning the primary.

While U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is backed by Sanders and espouses many of the same philosophies as the DSA, El-Sayed has stopped short of describing himself as a democratic socialist. Instead, he refers to himself as a capitalist who wants the rich to pay their fair share and wants to regulate monopolies.

However, the DSA foothold extends beyond the Detroit area and Mid-Michigan. The Northwest Michigan DSA endorsed Kyle Blomquist in the Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District. Although he finished second to Callie Barr, it shows Michigan DSA chapters are concerned about Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

2026 and beyond

The Democratic Party needs serious introspection if it expects to be unified heading into the 2028 presidential election, according to Braun.

“If one accepts that a majority of Michigan voters are more interested in the interests of left-wing cultural values than they are the interests of the Michigan working class, then the DSA candidates are not a problem,” he said.

While it may not be a problem now, Braun pointed out it will be a problem for Democrats eventually.

“Mid-terms are always bad for the party of the president, so what happens in Michigan this year may give a false impression of the strength of the DSA candidates,” Braun said. “If they do well this year, that may or may not mean anything for the long term. But if they do poorly, then it’s difficult to see them doing any better, anytime soon.”

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