US politics · Public record
Democratic Socialists of America win a record number of federal seats in 2026 midterms
A record number of candidates backed by or affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America won federal office on 3 November 2026, numbers the group says it has not seen in over a hundred years of socialist electoral activity.
What happened
Candidates backed by or affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America won a record number of federal offices in the 3 November 2026 midterm elections. National Electoral Commission member Chanpreet Singh called it a record for the DSA during a livestream watched by more than 200,000 viewers on Twitch. Singh said these were numbers not seen in over a hundred years of socialist electoral activity.
In New York State, Claire Valdez, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Brad Lander were elected to the US House of Representatives for the first time, while Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was re-elected. Chevalier worked on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's 2025 campaign and has organised pro-Palestinian protests.
Michigan saw three DSA-affiliated winners. Rashida Tlaib was re-elected to the House, Donavan McKinney was elected for the first time, and William Lawrence defeated a Republican candidate in a competitive race. In Colorado, Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old immigrant from Ethiopia, won her House seat with a wide margin. Chris Rabb, a former state lawmaker, won a House seat in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
On the West Coast, Angela Gonzales-Torres defeated a Democratic incumbent for a House seat in Los Angeles, California. In New Jersey, Adam Hamawy, a former US Army medical doctor who worked as a surgeon in Gaza, won a district. Hamawy is not a DSA member but has aligned himself with the movement and campaigned alongside DSA-backed candidates.
Why this is happening
The DSA saw a surge in membership in 2016 when Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a prominent DSA member, ran unsuccessfully for president. Sanders brought the movement's views on universal healthcare and housing to a broader audience. The election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor in 2025 brought additional attention and members to the organisation.
The movement now claims more than 120,000 members with chapters across all 50 states. Members vote to decide which candidates to back in federal, state and local elections. Many endorsed candidates share views on core issues including the war in Gaza, healthcare and immigration.
Who is affected
The newly elected representatives will join the US House of Representatives, where they will vote on federal legislation. Several of the winning candidates have been vocal about opposition to Israel's war on Gaza. Chevalier has helped organise pro-Palestinian protests, and Kiros has been outspoken about opposing what she describes as Israel's genocidal war on Gaza and abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The results add DSA-affiliated members to the House. One of the new seats was won by defeating a Democratic incumbent in Los Angeles.
What to watch
- Whether DSA-backed candidates vote as a bloc on key legislation in the new Congress
- If the DSA endorses candidates to challenge Democratic incumbents in the next primary elections
- Whether DSA membership continues to grow following the November 2026 results
What we don't know yet
- How many total DSA-backed candidates ran for federal office in 2026
- What percentage of DSA-endorsed federal candidates won their races
- Whether any DSA-affiliated candidates won US Senate seats in the midterms