The DSA-Democratic Party Debate

Two years ago, a group of activists aligned with DSA out-organized the legacy Reid machine and swept Nevada’s state party leadership elections. But the victory came with a price. The entire state party staff resigned rather than work with the new leftist leadership.

This was a blow to progressive activists in Nevada. But it wasn’t the only setback.

What is DSA?

DSA’s membership is growing as more left-leaning Democrats embrace its policies. But electoral tactics are only one part of the strategy: Building a powerful anti-corporate coalition is the real goal.

Last month, a slate of progressive candidates won control of the Nevada Democratic Party with the help of Las Vegas DSA. The establishment reacted by forcing the state party’s entire staff to tender their resignations.

The LVDSA statement went on to list grievances like the lack of funding and communication between the two parties. It also criticized Whitmer for her lack of leadership in the state’s BDS working group.

While many of DSA’s policy positions fall short of their ultimate goals, they’re gaining momentum. That’s good news for progressives like Jonathan Williams, who recently joined his local DSA chapter. The group offers a platform for activists to connect with each other and collaborate on campaigns. They can organize to support local community organizations, as well as run for legislative and executive offices.

What is DSA’s Strategy?

After the Sanders campaign, many activists in Nevada began to build their own political organizations that would allow them to mobilize progressive voters independent of Democratic Party structures. They allocated organizational resources, deployed members from other districts, and identified allies in their work toward common goals such as ending U.S. support for Israel apartheid.

Nonetheless, some comrades believe that using this organizing power to run candidates for elected office is the wrong approach to take, particularly given how weak and ineffectual the official Democratic Party apparatus is. They argue that a better strategy is to use the new leadership positions won in the state party’s recent election to step up grassroots, movement-building work.

This view is not shared by all DSA currents, but some are strongly committed to it. For them, treating the Democratic Party as a battlefield inevitably leads to abandoning the socialist project. Consequently, they are willing to do whatever it takes to establish a purely revolutionary pole within the mainstream of American politics.

What is DSA’s Approach to Taking Over the Democratic Party?

The debate roiling DSA over its relationship with the Democratic Party raises core questions of political strategy. Those issues have consequences far beyond the local political campaigns of DSA-endorsed candidates.

The success of socialist politicians like Ocasio-Cortez and Dina Titus has sparked a debate over whether DSA should seek to elect more socialist lawmakers, or focus instead on building a strong base outside the electoral system. But DSA’s experience shows that a pure revolutionary formation would be less powerful than an organization that engages with electoral politics.

DSA’s current strategy is to prioritize electoral politics and support progressive candidates in low-dollar state and local races, where voters are more likely to be receptive to leftist politics. But this approach limits the group’s impact and is unlikely to lead to major policy victories. Moreover, it risks alienating members who are more interested in organizing workers and fighting for social justice. And it could make it harder to build a mass workers’ party in the future.

What is DSA’s Strategy to Build a Socialist Party in Reality?

The core questions animating the debate roiling DSA revolve around how to use this political moment to break free of the constraints that have hindered Left politics for nearly a century. Some comrades believe that it’s necessary to form a new party-within-a-party to accomplish this goal, a strategy sometimes referred to as “the dirty break” or a “party surrogate.”

Others are convinced that forming an untainted revolutionary pole within mainstream U.S. political life is a more realistic goal, despite the fact that such a project would require substantial resources and organization.

Currently, most DSA members focus on working with Democratic Party candidates and elected officials who share their views. This has given the organization a measure of clout in states such as Nevada, where the DSA-backed slate swept the state party’s leadership elections. In other cases, such as in California, DSA-backed state lawmakers can organize enough Democrats to pass left-wing priorities that the Democratic establishment opposes.

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Why Is Nevada a Swing State?

There are a few states that could decide which party will control Congress this year. Among them is Nevada, where Democratic U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak are facing challenging Republican opponents.

Our co-host A Martinez is visiting voters at a north Las Vegas early voting site. She talks to them about what makes the state a battleground.

It’s a battleground state

Despite its reputation as a safe blue state, Nevada is actually still a battleground. The term “battleground state” is used to describe states that are closely divided between Democrats and Republicans and can go either way in a presidential election. The terms red state and purple state are also often used to describe these states.

This has been true for a long time, but recently, the balance has tilted toward the Republican side. This is due to a number of factors, including lower Democratic turnout in rural and blue-collar areas. In addition, white voters without a college degree have shifted in favor of the GOP.

The results of this shift have been evident in the recent elections, where Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto won the U.S Senate race by a narrow margin over Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. This has led many to question whether the state will continue to be a battleground state in 2022.

It’s a Democratic stronghold

In a year that looks to be bad for Democrats nationally, the state’s incumbents like Cortez Masto and Sisolak are in danger. That’s especially true for the Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation, who are likely to face tough challenges from Republicans with an eye on picking up seats and regaining control of the House.

The reason why is simple: Despite Nevada’s liberal reputation, it is still a true swing state. This is largely because of regional voting, where Democratic margins in Clark County, home to Las Vegas, can offset GOP strength in Washoe County, and the 15 rural counties known as the Rurals.

But voters in both regions can also be influenced by candidates’ national political affiliations, as well as their local policies and personalities. For example, voters in the Rurals are unlikely to support candidates who push election denialism or who equivocate on abortion rights. That’s why it’s important for Democrats to continue to emphasize their progressive values, as they did during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s a battleground for Hispanic voters

Nevada is a purple state that has been moving more Democratic over time. In the last couple of elections, Democratic presidential candidates have won the state by more than 2 points. Despite this, Republicans are making inroads in the state. This is especially true among Hispanic voters.

The state’s Hispanic population has been growing fast. This has made Nevada a battleground state for Hispanic voters. In the upcoming midterm election, Republicans are hoping to gain control of the Senate. But it’s not going to be easy.

In fact, a number of Democratic incumbents are facing tough challenges. One of them is Catherine Cortez Masto, who is running against former state Attorney General Adam Laxalt. She’s a target of Trump’s and could be in trouble if the state goes red this year. Our co-host, A Martinez, recently traveled to the state to speak with voters about their views on politics. She met with people at a community center in a North Las Vegas neighborhood.

It’s a battleground for independent voters

The state’s booming economy has led to large population increases in its major metropolitan areas. This demographic shift has changed the political landscape, making Nevada a swing state. It is a place where candidates can win or lose based on their appeal to independent voters.

The zealous election denial movement has become an issue in Nevada, and the state’s Republican governor has struggled to contain it. He has vetoed legislation that clarifies restrictions on challenges and allows preprocessing of early ballots to ensure timely results. He has also signed critical legislation that protects election workers.

Cortez Matso and Sisolak are both vulnerable in a year that appears to be bad for Democrats nationwide. In addition, the Democrats’ own redistricting process may have left them in jeopardy. The new districts have a higher percentage of Republicans and White voters without a college degree. These are voters who tend to vote for the GOP in other states.

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