DSA’s rise puts left flank at center of Democrats’ 2026 fight

NEW YORK (Gray Media) - As Democrats hope to secure a majority in one, potentially both chambers of Congress, the rise of their left flank is in focus.

Democratic Socialists of America say they’re fighting for a democracy powered by everyday people, not capitalists. DSA members are now some of the most prominent voices in the Democratic Party, occupying roles from the Halls of Congress to the mayor’s mansion in New York City.

“For a long time, they were completely irrelevant,” said Lincoln Mitchell, a political expert at Columbia University. Mitchell says the organization’s roots trace back to the 1960s, but it only recently became a major player on the national stage.

“What DSA has done powerfully is to center working people and to center poor people in the story of urban America,” Mitchell said.

Sen. Bernie Sanders is often credited with igniting democratic socialism over the last decade. Mitchell says Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani brought the DSA into the mainstream by defeating established Democratic politicians.

“Among people today who are under 40 years old, socialism isn’t a bad word,” Mitchell said.

The duo uncovered an appetite for youthful energy combined with policies catering to American workers. The DSA and adjacent candidates are having a strong 2026. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed hopes to become the first Muslim U.S. Senator. A handful of House candidates are primed to win and grow the movement’s numbers in Washington. And figures like AOC and Mamdani rank as two of the most powerful endorsements in the election cycle.

“The energy is on the DSA left, and that is for certain,” Mitchell said.

The election on November 3rd will tell us a lot about not just the next two years, but potentially the next decade. The Democratic Socialists of America are a big part of the evolving political landscape, and they hope to be for a long time.