New York City Democratic Socialists of America

Endorsements

Unlike most political parties, New York City DSA does not have a ballot line. Instead, NYC-DSA acts "like a party" or a "party surrogate" by endorsing and canvassing for candidates it supports.^[14][15][6] The NYC-DSA endorsement process requires candidates to complete a questionnaire, answer questions from NYC-DSA members at citywide and branch-based forums, and win an endorsement vote in the relevant local branches. If the candidate passes the branch votes, the Citywide Leadership Committee (CLC) votes on the endorsements.^[12][16] NYC-DSA endorsements are separate from national DSA endorsements.^[17]

NYC-DSA usually runs candidates on the Democratic ballot line to be viable,^[18] but is not "necessarily tied" to the party and hopes to build independent socialist power.^[19][18] NYC-DSA often collaborates with the Working Families Party,^[20][21] though DSA and WFP endorsees have competed against each other.^[21] NYC-DSA has a presence in local unions, including in the United Auto Workers.^[22]

NYC-DSA's Socialists in Office (SIO) committee coordinates between and communicate with local DSA-endorsed officials. If the committee comes to a consensus and adopts a position, NYC-DSA assembly members are expected to vote as a bloc.^[2] The committee also serves to insulate members from legislative pressure.^[23] Co-chair Mausser meets with Ocasio-Cortez's team monthly.^[24]

Early history

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and its predecessor, the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee had a presence in New York City since the 1980s.^[20] DSA member Ruth Messinger was elected to serve as a city councilor and later as Manhattan borough president.^[25][26] DSA member David Dinkins likewise served as a state assemblyman and Manhattan borough president.^[27][28] Representative and former state senator Major Owens was a DSA member, though City & State notes that "his socialist pursuits never garnered much attention".^[9][29][30] Brad Lander, who served as a city councilor and comptroller, was a member of DSA from 1987 to 2023.^[31][32] Representative Jerry Nadler was a member.^[18]

In 1989, Dinkins defeated incumbent mayor Ed Koch in the Democratic mayoral primary, going on to defeat Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani.^[33] Despite Dinkins' association with DSA, "no one attributed his mayoral victory to the organization".^[20] According to Ross Barkan in The New Republic, in Dinkins' first year as mayor, he gave a speech to the Socialist International.^[34] However, in 1993, Dinkins lost re-election to Giuliani.^[35] In 1997, Messinger won the Democratic nomination for mayor, though ultimately lost to Giuliani.^[36]

In 2011, NYC-DSA activists participated in Occupy Wall Street, which animated leftists in the city and attracted many future DSA members.^[37][38][39] In 2021, Jabari Brisport wrote in The Forge that four years prior, the chapter was holding meetings of less than 30 people in Brooklyn.^[40] Peter Sterne wrote that before 2016, NYC-DSA acted as "little more than an advocacy group".^[18]

Rise in influence

The chapter, like the rest of the organization, significantly grew after socialist senator Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign and the election of Donald Trump.^[41] Barkan wrote in Jacobin that Sanders' run "was almost single-handedly responsible for reviving DSA across the country and laying the groundwork for the New York City chapter's emergence as a force in local politics."^[38] Weeks after Trump's victory, NYC-DSA formed its electoral working group.^[20]

By 2017, NYC-DSA had at least 2,000 members. That year, it ran two candidates for city council: Khader El-Yateem, a Palestinian Lutheran minister, and Jabari Brisport, an actor. El-Yateem was the first Arab-American to run for city council, and tried to appeal to minority communities in City Council district 43 in southwest Brooklyn.^[42][43] Brisport ran on the Green Party ballot line in 35th city council district in central Brooklyn, protesting gentrification. Both focused on housing issues.^[44][45] Hundreds of DSA members volunteered for their campaigns.^[46][45] In November, Brisport lost to incumbent Laurie Cumbo with 29% of the vote, though this was the highest for an independent candidate since 2003.^[20][47] El-Yateem ultimately lost the Democratic primary to his opponent Justin Brannan.^[48] Carlina Rivera was a DSA member when she won her city council election that year.^[49] NYC-DSA organized with the Crown Heights Tenant Union against turning the Bedford Union Armory into luxury housing and pushed the city council to pass a police reform bill.^[50][40]

Hundreds of activists attended NYC-DSA's 2018 convention.^[51] The year prior, DSA activist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez began her campaign for New York's 14th congressional district in the Bronx and Queens.^[52] She railed against powerful establishment incumbent Joe Crowley and campaigned for Medicare For All, a jobs guarantee, free public college, and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.^[53] NYC-DSA endorsed and advised her campaign, with many members canvassing for her.^[52][54] In what has been described as "the most shocking upset" of the 2018 primary season, Ocasio-Cortez defeated Crowley with 57.5% of the vote.^[55][56] Ocasio-Cortez quickly became a national figure, and endorsed several other progressive candidates nationwide.^[57][58] Ocasio-Cortez easily defeated her Republican opponent in the November general election with 78%.^[59] The excitement around her victory contributed to an increase in DSA membership.^[60]

That year, DSA organizer Julia Salazar ran against incumbent Martin Malave Dilan in the 18th State Senate district in northern Brooklyn.^[61] Energized by Ocasio-Cortez's win, NYC-DSA ran an "aggressive ground game" in the district. Salazar criticized gentrification and claimed Dilan contributed to the eviction crisis.^[62] Salazar defeated Dilan and won her general election in a campaign that attracted wide attention.^[63] Salazar's housing bill in the state senate failed, though a separate tenant protection bill passed, partly attributed by Sam Lewis in Jacobin to progressive electoral victories.^[64] NYC-DSA also endorsed socialist city councilman Jumaane Williams for Lieutenant Governor and socialist Cynthia Nixon for Governor.^[65] Williams campaigned on criminal justice reform, gun control, and women's health.^[66][67] Nixon supported universal healthcare, universal rent control, and more affordable housing.^[65] Williams lost to incumbent Kathy Hochul with 46.7% of the vote,^[68] while Nixon lost to incumbent Andrew Cuomo with 35%.^[69] Williams went on to become public advocate in 2019 and unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022.^[70][71]

By 2019, NYC-DSA had 5,000 members.^[20] By then, NYC-DSA had joined local mobilization against the construction of Amazon HQ2 in Long Island City, citing concerns about corporate subsidies and gentrification among other criticisms. With the support of politicians such as Ocasio-Cortez and state Senator Michael Gianaris, as well as groups like the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union, the coalition built great public pressure against the deal.^[72] On February 14, 2019, Amazon announced that it would cancel the planned Long Island City location due to opposition, celebrated by NYC-DSA as a victory.^[73][74]

That year, the chapter endorsed public defender Tiffany Cabán for Queens District Attorney. Cabán ran on ending cash bail and not prosecuting "crimes of poverty", including sex work and fare evasion. DSA "brought its canvassing army" to support Cabán,^[20] while the election became a "microcosm of the Democratic Party's deepening rift between progressives and moderates". Cabán appeared to win the election and declared victory, but after a recount requested by opponent Melinda Katz, she conceded after losing by 20 votes.^[75][76]

Socialist bloc

By 2020, NYC-DSA had 7,000 members.^[77] The chapter supported the Black Lives Matter movement and called for decreasing police funding to fund other services.^[78] NYC-DSA activists supported and canvassed for Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. That year, NYC-DSA ran a slate of candidates in local races: Salazar for re-election, Brisport for state senate, and Phara Souffrant Forrest, Marcela Mitaynes, and Zohran Mamdani for state assembly.^[77] In The Nation, Raina Lipsitz wrote that "Two years after helping propel AOC to victory in Queens, NYC-DSA is taking on more races than ever before". Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the slate's campaigns had to transition from canvassing to online activism.^[79] In the June 23 Democratic primaries, all NYC-DSA candidates defeated their opponents. The slate's "seismic" victory was attributed to the pandemic and associated economic crisis, and the reaction to police brutality.^[80] The slate won their general elections, along with unendorsed members Emily Gallagher, Jessica González-Rojas, and Shahana Hanif.^[9][81] Following the victories, the newly elected slate formed the New York State Socialists in Office parliamentary group.^[2]

That year, DSA endorsed two candidates in New York City congressional races: Samelys López in New York's 15th congressional district and Jamaal Bowman against Representative Eliot Engel in New York's 16th congressional district.^[82] López campaigned on universal healthcare, housing as a human right, and a boycott of Israel.^[83][84] Bowman ran on a platform of Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, and policies addressing racial issues.^[85] Bowman defeated Engel with 55.4% of the vote and won his general election with 84.2% in what was described as a major victory for progressive Democrats.^[82][86] Ocasio-Cortez easily won her primary with 74.4% and her general election with 71.6%.^[87][88] López however lost her election, receiving 13.9%.^[87] Bowman would later face controversy from members of DSA after voting for Iron Dome funding and had his endorsement revoked by the organization in 2021. He let his membership expire over its stance on Israel in 2022.^[89][90] NYC-DSA also came under criticism in 2020 over the cancellation of Dr. Adolph Reed's speech to the chapter after two caucuses accused him of class reductionism,^[91] and for a questionnaire that asked candidates to boycott Israel.^[92]

NYC-DSA also ran a slate of six city council candidates in the 2021 elections, aiming to create a socialist caucus:^[93] Cabán, Alexa Avilés, Brandon West, Michael Hollingsworth, Adolfo Abreu, and Jaslin Kaur.^[94] Several other candidates ran as socialists or supported left-wing positions without an endorsement.^[95] The slate was opposed by the pro-business "Common Sense NYC" super PAC. Of the six candidates, only Cabán and Avilés won their elections.^[96] DSA member Kristin Richardson Jordan won her city council election, though was not endorsed by NYC-DSA.^[97] NYC-DSA did not run or endorse a candidate in the mayoral election, though Salazar endorsed Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate Cathy Rojas, and other NYC-DSA officials endorsed Maya Wiley or Dianne Morales in the primary.^{[98][99][100][101]}

In 2022, NYC-DSA ran a slate of 13 candidates, also endorsed by Ocasio-Cortez: its incumbents^[d] for re-election, insurgents Illapa Sairitupac, Keron Alleyne, Samy Nemir Olivares, Vanessa Agudelo, and Sarahana Shrestha^[e] for assembly, and insurgents Kristen Gonzalez and David Alexis for state senate. The endorsements were made with a particular emphasis on climate change.^[102] In the races for assembly, Mamdani, Gallagher, Mitanyes, and Forrest kept their seats, surviving an establishment counterattack, while only while Shrestha won her race out of the insurgent assembly candidates.^[103][104] In the state senate elections, mayor Eric Adams supported challengers to three DSA candidates.^[105] Brisport and Salazar won re-election, and Gonzalez won her race. Ocasio-Cortez faced no opposition. After the elections, Astoria, Queens became the only place in the country to have socialist representation at the city, state, and federal level, becoming known as "The People's Republic of Astoria".^[106][107]

In 2023, NYC-DSA faced condemnation from many elected officials for promoting the "All Out for Palestine" rally after the October 7 attacks. NYC-DSA later distanced itself from the rally.^[108][109] A resolution condemning NYC-DSA was introduced in the House on October 11, alleging support of the attack.^[110] The chapter took a pro-Palestinian stance during the Gaza war.^[111] Earlier that year, Mamdani was the keynote speaker at the national DSA convention.^[112] The "Build Public Renewables Act" passed the assembly, which ordered the New York Power Authority to move away from electricity and toward renewable energy. The bill was "a product of years of advocacy" from the chapter.^[113] By January 2024, NYC-DSA faced technical and legal disputes over campaign funding in the 2022 elections and a budget deficit in the national DSA.^[14] During the Biden administration, NYC-DSA membership declined, with only 5,910 members by October 2024.^[114]

In 2024, DSA city councilors Cabán, Avilés, and Hanif voted against the city budget in protest, saying it was insufficient for the working class.^[115] In April, eight NYC-DSA state legislators signed onto a letter supporting the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University and other college protests.^[116] Ocasio-Cortez and Bowman visited the Columbia encampment, and the Young Democratic Socialists of America participated in the "Columbia University Apartheid Divest".^[117][118] In June, Bowman attempted to make amends with DSA and said he wouldn't support Iron Dome funding, gaining back NYC-DSA's endorsement.^[119] Ocasio-Cortez was also seen by some DSA members as less committed to Palestine, losing her national endorsement but keeping NYC-DSA's.^[120] NYC-DSA supported the "Leave it Blank" campaign in the Democratic presidential primary to protest the Gaza war.^[121] That year, NYC-DSA endorsed its incumbents^[f] and insurgent candidates Eon Huntley, Claire Valdez, and Jonathan Soto for assembly.^[122] Bowman ultimately lost his primary to George Latimer. Huntley and Soto lost their races as well. All other NYC-DSA incumbents kept their seats, and Valdez won her race. The elections were described as a "mixed bag" for progressives and socialists.^[123] NYC-DSA supported the "City of Yes" housing bill.^[124] In early 2025, NYC-DSA organized a rally to protest NYU Langone denying gender-affirming surgery to minors.^[125]

Mamdani campaign

In October 2024, Mamdani announced he would run for mayor in the 2025 Democratic primary on a progressive and socialist platform.^[126][127] Mamdani's campaign focused on affordability, proposing a rent freeze for rent stabilized units, free bus service, universal child care, city-run grocery stores, building social housing, and raising taxes on the rich.^[128][129] Some NYC-DSA elected officials doubted success, though 81% of members and 90% of delegates voted to endorse him at the 2024 convention.^[130][131] Mamdani was viewed as a "cadre" candidate for NYC-DSA, having strong pre-existing connections to the chapter.^[132]

Mamdani steadily gained in polls, becoming second place to former Governor Andrew Cuomo and outright leading in some.^[133] Mamdani was supported by many progressives and socialists, while Cuomo was supported by the Democratic establishment.^[134][135] Throughout the campaign, volunteers for Mamdani knocked on over one million doors, largely coordinated with NYC-DSA.^[136] Cuomo attacked Mamdani for his identity as a socialist and association with DSA.^[137][138] The race galvanized the chapter, which gained 2,400 members since the start of the campaign by late May.^[131] Mamdani's campaign came at a time where the base of the Democratic Party was increasingly open to socialist ideas, in response to the perceived ineffectiveness of the establishment following Trump's 2024 election win.^[139]

On June 24, Mamdani pulled off an upset victory, leading Cuomo with 43.5% of the vote to his 36.3% in the first round of voting, a margin which "virtually no pollster predicted". Cuomo conceded the race later that night, leaving Mamdani the presumptive nominee.^[140] Ranked choice results released on July 1 showed Mamdani with 56% of the vote, officially winning the primary.^[141] The youthful, multiracial, leftist neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens where Mamdani overperformed became known as the "Commie Corridor".^[142] NYC-DSA was described after the victory as "the most dynamic and powerful left-wing organization in the country" and a powerful local electoral machine.^[15][1] NYC-DSA members Hanif and Avilés also won their primaries.^[143] NYC-DSA membership significantly increased after the victory, and contributed to an increase in national DSA membership.^[139] In July, the chapter reached a membership of 10,000.^[132] The chapter grew to 11,000 members by August.^[144][145] Shortly after the primary, progressive city councilman Chi Ossé joined DSA.^[146] Leaders of the chapter's social housing campaign supported pro-rezoning ballot proposals 2 through 5.^[147]

In the general election, Mamdani faced Cuomo (running as an independent) and Republican Curtis Sliwa.^[148] Incumbent mayor Eric Adams and candidate Jim Walden dropped out of the race to help coalesce anti-Mamdani voters around Cuomo.^[149][150] Establishment Democrats were reluctant to endorse Mamdani, though many ultimately did.^[151][152] President Trump officially endorsed Cuomo on the eve of Election Day.^[153] By the end of the campaign, volunteers for Mamdani knocked on over 3 million doors.^[154] On November 3, Mamdani won the election with 50.4% of the vote to Cuomo's 41.6% and Sliwa's 7.2%. Mamdani surpassed one million votes, in the highest turnout election since 1969.^[155] Mamdani's victory was celebrated by the Left internationally, but drew condemnation from Republicans and pro-Israel politicians.^[156][157] Mamdani, during his victory speech, said: "I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologize for any of this."^[158] Avilés and Hanif both won re-election.^[159] NYC-DSA celebrated the win, and gave Mamdani "wider-than-normal berth" to govern and deviate from its policies.^[160]

Mamdani mayoralty and 2026 slate

By November, NYC-DSA had 12,000 members.^[161] On January 1, 2026, Mamdani officially became the 112th mayor of New York City.^[162] At his inauguration, he was ceremonially sworn in by Sanders, and pledged to govern “audaciously” and not abandon his democratic socialist beliefs.^[163] Mamdani appointed multiple NYC-DSA members to positions in his administration: Elle Bisgaard-Church to be his chief of staff,^[164][165] Tascha Van Auken to the new Office of Mass Engagement (OME),^[166] and Cea Weaver to the newly reinstated Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants.^[167][168] Mamdani came under some criticism from progressives and socialists for keeping Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and other police-related policies.^[169][g] As of 2026, Mamdani’s administration has made minor reforms, secured additional childcare funding,^[174] closed the city’s budget deficit,^[175] announced an affordable housing plan,^[176] and mobilized the OME using DSA-style canvassing.^[177]

By February 2026, NYC-DSA announced the chapter had reached 14,000 members.^[178] On February 20, Ossé and Hanif officially joined the chapter's city SIO bloc.^[179] After committing at an NYC-DSA forum to oppose defensive weapons to Israel and the IHRA definition of antisemitism, Ocasio-Cortez was re-endorsed on April 8.^[180] For the 2026 elections, NYC-DSA endorsed Huntley, Christian Celeste Tate, David Orkin, Conrad Blackburn, Diana Moreno, Samantha Kattan, and Illapa Sairitupac for assembly, and Aber Kawas for state senate, along with its incumbents.^[h][6] For Congress, NYC-DSA endorsed Valdez against progressive Antonio Reynoso, and Columbia encampment organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier against incumbent Adriano Espaillat.^[181] The races were defined by outside super PAC spending (including by AIPAC),^[182] and debates over gentrification, the Gaza war, and the mayoral primary.^[183][184] Mamdani ultimately endorsed both congressional candidates and “split up” the slate with Ocasio-Cortez, collectively endorsing 9 out of 10 candidates, though Mamdani conflicted with the chapter early on.^[185][i]

On June 23, NYC-DSA swept nearly all of its races.^[190] Avila Chevalier defeated Espaillat by 3.5 points in another upset, drawing national attention due to her far-left views.^[191][192] Valdez defeated Reynoso by about 20 points in the "Commie Corridor"-based district, despite his endorsements from the WFP and outgoing representative Nydia Velázquez.^[193] NYC-DSA's insurgent candidates Moreno, Huntley, Celeste Tate, Orkin, Kattan, Sairitupac, and Kawas, and all incumbents won their elections, with only Blackburn losing. Unendorsed DSA members González-Rojas and Brian Romero also won their elections. All of Mamdani's endorsed candidates won, including Lander against incumbent Dan Goldman.^[194][195] Mamdani said his win a year prior was just "the beginning" of a political movement. The New York Times declared that the results solidified DSA's position as a "formidable force" and Mamdani as the "unquestioned political kingmaker" of New York City.^[196] Republicans interpreted the results as a "Bolshevik revolution" and "slide into Marxism" for the Democrats, while the Democratic establishment and centrists grew increasingly hostile to DSA.^[197][198]

Chapter leadership