THE RISE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA

Lee Carter : Victorious DSA election candidate.

This week the Democratic Socialists of America scored some stunning victories in state and local government elections - while being attacked by both the Republican and Democratic Party establishments.

THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA is now the largest left wing party in the United States, with over 31,000 members. In November 2016 it had just 7,000 members but it has enjoyed spectacular growth since then. This has been due largely to an increased interest in socialist ideas generated by Bernie Sanders campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and the complete failure of the Democratic Party establishment to provide a real alternative to Donald Trump.

This week the DSA scored some stunning election wins in state and local government elections. Eleven DSA candidates were voted into office. These included Lee Carter who won the 50th district in Virginia House of Delegates, defeating the incumbent Republican House Whip and Larry Krasner, who ran on a progressive platform for criminal justice reform, who won the race for District Attorney in Philadelphia.

The Democratic Party establishment, still determined to tread a failed corporate and centrist path, have been less than positive about the DSA. In the aftermath of his victory Lee Carter was still being described  by the Democratic Party as a 'rogue candidate'.

The growing prominence of the DSA has begun to alarm the right. One conservative website has warned its readers:

"A radical Marxist group is poised to be the biggest threat to American culture since the communists planted missiles in Cuba. This threat, however, is much closer to home and they just won a massive victory–over a dozen victories to be more precise. The group calls itself the Democratic Socialists of America and if you aren’t already, it’s high time you get familiar....The Democratic Socialists are not progressive-reformists that want to increase the scope and size of the welfare state. Rather, they want to deconstruct our entire system of private ownership. They are anti-capitalists."

Chris Riddiough, a member of the DSA's National Political Committee, told the media : ."We haven't seen this kind of socialist activity since 100 years ago."

But the DSA recognises these are early days and there is still a long way to go or, as it tweeted - 'There is still a world to win."