Democratic Socialists of America and Their 2025-2026 Platform
In 2018, Jon Torsch attended a meeting of the Southern Maine Democratic Socialists of America wearing a T-shirt promoting democratic socialism. This meeting took place at City Hall in Portland, Maine. During the event, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) shared their 2025-2026 platform. This platform calls for significant structural changes to the U.S. political system.
The platform advocates eliminating the Electoral College, the Senate, the presidency, and the Supreme Court. It proposes replacing them with an executive and judiciary chosen by, and subordinate to, Congress. Congress would be transformed into a single, proportionally elected body. The DSA’s platform envisions creating a ‘democratic socialist republic’ through a new constitution.
Co-chair Ashik Siddique has defended the proposal, describing the Senate as a highly undemocratic institution. Yet, while the platform presents these bold ideas, the reaction of candidates to these proposals during elections is noteworthy.
The platform isn’t hidden; it’s public and available online. But once election campaigns begin, candidates tend to avoid discussing these radical components.
Candidates endorsed by the DSA are expected to support these structural changes. Still, many candidates remain silent about these aspects when questioned by the media. This pattern was evident when several candidates sidestepped discussion on the more controversial provisions of the platform.
An instructive case occurred in Michigan’s 7th District. Will Lawrence, a socialist candidate backed by Senator Bernie Sanders, won the Democratic primary on this platform. However, he allowed his DSA membership to lapse before the general election against Republican Tom Barrett. Lawrence stated he wanted to represent his constituents and did not specify any policy disagreements with the DSA.
Lawrence’s choice to let his membership lapse, while maintaining the platform’s tenets, demonstrates a strategic distancing. He retained the platform’s support and Sanders’ endorsement by leaving the organization’s label behind. This maneuver allows candidates to avoid public discord on controversial stances like abolishing major government institutions.
Other politicians, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ro Khanna, have also made efforts to distance themselves from the DSA. They often act as though the group’s extreme proposals are unfamiliar to them.
Voters deserve transparency regarding candidates’ stances on abolishing the Senate, the presidency, and the Supreme Court. Those running with the DSA’s endorsement or benefiting from its support should be directly questioned about their position on the organization’s platform. It’s a legitimate inquiry that demands a straightforward response.
Leif Larson is a political consultant with over two decades of experience and is currently the director of opinion research at Gingrich 360.