Over the weekend, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) gathered in Chicago to reflect on their growth over the last couple of years and collectively determine the direction they should take in the future. The Washington Free Beacon sent reporters to the 3-day conference, which cost them $225 and required a party membership.
INSIDE THE DSA: Roughly 1,200 Democratic Socialists of America delegates gathered in Chicago over the weekend to solidify the party's platform at its biennial convention.
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) August 11, 2025
They sent a clear message to the rest of the left: We're in charge now. pic.twitter.com/UBZlqsN9S0
The convention was attended by 1,200 people — mostly delegates chosen by their local DSA chapters — who were asked to keep the venue’s location confidential. Attendees were required to submit a negative COVID test, more than two years after the World Health Organization declared the pandemic over. Only delegates were allowed to give speeches that were kept to two minutes, either supporting or opposing resolutions, which needed a two-thirds majority to pass. Most speakers introduced themselves by just their first name, last initial, and their home chapter.
Most importantly, though, delegates discussed the multitude of wins they had achieved in the last year, and what opportunities may lie ahead.
DSA's most notable win was the victory of Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic Primary for the New York City Mayoral race. Delegates took that as telling sing of what they could very well achieve.
"We need to run campaigns that win. Campaigns like Zohran Mamdani, which put forward a bold vision of a socialist society," Nate K., a delegate from Atlanta, said during his speech. "Zohran shows that Palestine is a winning issue. That socialism is a winning issue."
"The time for protest campaigns and messaging is over. The time for winning is now," he said. "We can win the Democratic primary in 2028. There's polls now that show that a majority of the Democratic primary electorate supports Palestine and would want a Democratic socialist to win the presidential primary in 2028."
The speech was given as delegates debated whether to put forward a socialist candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Mamdani's victory makes their dream more tenable.
Jesse B. from central Indiana, on the same subject, said that DSA has the opportunity to take over the Democratic Party. "The Democratic Party is dying. They have less support than the Republican Party," he said. This bodes well for those who wish to see the party move further to the left.
Establishment Democrats have been slow to praise Mamdani, as they undoubtedly know the direction this could take them. The socialist mayoral candidate has earned praise from New York Senator Chuck Schumer, secured an endorsement from Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, and met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. This came after a breakfast in Washington, DC, hosted by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, where Mamdani was introduced to Congressional Democrats in the hopes more would come around to support him.
This convention is DSA's first since the October 7th attacks against Israel in 2023, and the conflict in the Middle East was high on the list of priorities for the conference. Unsurprisingly, DSA reportedly adopted anti-Israel resolutions between "Free Palestine" and "Death to the IDF" chants.
One resolution made "organizing in solidarity with the Palestinian cause a priority until Palestine is free." It also established the DSA's commitment to "al-Thawabit," a creed created in 1977 by the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which was designated as a terrorist organization by the United States in 1987. The creed includes the "right to resistance," the "right to self-determination," marks Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state, and a "right to return."
This resolution, as written, ensures that any DSA member who violates these principles is subject to removal from the group.
Friday's keynote address at the convention was headed by a member of the far-left Squad, Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). She discussed "fighting fascism" and condemned her colleagues who support Israel.
"There will be a reckoning for these monstrous crimes and excuses of war criminals and genocide funders, and cheerleaders will not save them from the justice that they will see in their communities," Tlaib said.
Afterwards, the convention hosted a discussion between Tlaib and Hasan Piker, a far-left political commentator and streamer, who is known for saying that America deserved 9/11 and denying the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th.
These are the people poised to take control of the Democrat Party. People scoff at the thought of AOC becoming president in 2028, at Mamdani becoming the mayor of NYC, just as people scoffed at the idea of a President Trump in 2016. The pendulum could swing back the other way, and the Democratic Socialists of America are looking to take advantage of it.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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