Five DSA-Backed Candidates Win House Seats, Tripling Their Ranks in Congress

Democratic Socialists of America candidates won at least five House races on Tuesday, a result that puts the organization's presence in the chamber on track to more than triple from its current two members when the new Congress is seated in January. The Associated Press has called wins for Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez in New York, Melat Kiros in Colorado, Donavan McKinney in Michigan, and Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania. All five ran in districts that lean heavily toward Democrats.

The path to those seats ran through bruising primaries earlier this year. In July, Kiros unseated Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado's 1st Congressional District, ending the 15-term incumbent's run. DeGette sits on the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Days before that, Chevalier edged out Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in New York's 13th Congressional District.

Across those campaigns, candidates centered economic proposals including universal health care and child care. They also took positions that drew sharper opposition, such as abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Candidates declined corporate money and donations from pro-Israel lobbying groups. They also called for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel and condemned the war in Gaza.

Republican candidates turned the same material into an attack line, tying moderate Democrats to figures such as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. The DSA is not a registered political party.

Currently, only Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ocasio-Cortez are members. A seat count of six or more would give the bloc more weight in a House where Democrats hold only a narrow majority, if they win it back.

No incoming DSA-endorsed member has committed to backing Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for speaker. Jeffries is positioned to become the first Black speaker if Democrats take the House.