At Least 65 DSA-Backed Candidates Reach State Ballots in 24 States as GOP Warns of Party Shift
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 10
At Least 65 DSA-Backed Candidates Reach State Ballots in 24 States as GOP Warns of Party Shift
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 10
Summary
At least 65 Democratic Socialists of America-aligned candidates have advanced to November general-election races for state legislatures, according to a Republican State Leadership Committee memo cited by Fox News.
The RSLC argues those statehouse bids matter because local and state offices can build governing records, donor networks and campaign infrastructure that later propel candidates toward Congress.
Republicans highlighted candidates' positions on policing, reparations, immigration enforcement and public ownership of utilities, casting them as outside swing-voter views; some DSA-backed lawmakers said those policies are popular and could shape Democrats' future.
The scale remains disputed: Brookings counted at least 76 such candidates in the general election, while the RSLC identified 65 across 24 states, and Brookings said they still represent only a small share of all state legislative seats.
The fight also carries national political stakes, with a September Fox News poll finding 55% of registered voters viewed the DSA unfavorably as Republicans try to tie the broader Democratic Party to socialism.