Mamdani Distances Himself From Democratic Socialists’ National Agenda
Aug. 28, 2025
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner in the New York City mayor’s race, is fending off attacks that seek to link him to to some of the D.S.A.’s more controversial stances.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/nyregion/mamdani-dsa-socialist-mayor.html
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That was then, this is now.
"I was elected as a Democratic Socialist and I will govern as a Democratic Socialist"
Jan. 1, 2026
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Democratic Socialists of America: Who They Are and Their Stance on Israel
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has evolved from its founding in the early 1980s as a Zionist organization under Michael Harrington to a far-left group openly hostile to Israel. Today, the DSA influences U.S. progressive politics through endorsements, campus activism, and the support of prominent elected officials, including New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Its positions on Israel and Jewish issues have raised concern among Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, including American Jewish Committee (AJC), as the far-left group advances anti-Zionist campaigns, Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) initiatives, and rhetoric that ignores or even tacitly endorses antisemitism and Palestinian terror groups like Hamas.
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How has the DSA reacted to October 7 and the War in Gaza?
The DSA’s hardline stance on Israel began alienating key progressive allies and threatening its political influence following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre.
- Pro-Palestinian Rally in NYC: Days after the attack, DSA promoted a rally where some attendees celebrated the killings, prompting condemnation from DSA-backed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and then-Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY).
- Membership Departures: Rep. Bowman, already criticized internally for visiting Israel, let his membership lapse; Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) quit, citing DSA’s refusal to condemn terrorism.
- Other Criticism: LA Council member Nithya Raman denounced the national statement for ignoring Hamas’ violence, and she was subsequently censured by the group after she sought an endorsement from a liberal Zionist group, Democrats for Israel.
- Political Consequences: By mid-2024, DSA withdrew its endorsement of Ocasio-Cortez after her participation in an antisemitism panel, and also condemned her July 2025 vote on funding for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, but she remains affiliated with the DSA; NYC Comptroller Brad Lander resigned, saying the DSA’s reaction “crossed a moral line.”
https://www.ajc.org/news/democratic-socialists-of-america-who-they-are-and-their-stance-on-israel
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