The DSA's big city takeover

...and why only the very rich and very poor are immune from it. Plus: prospects for the DSA going national, Ossoff might be too scripted, quants vs. handicappers, the red-blue fertility gap

No. 406 | June 26, 2026

🇦🇴 The DSA is now the big city default

The Democratic Socialists of America’s victories in Congressional primaries feel seismic because they come on the heels of a string of major victories in big cities, including a DSA-backed candidate winning the Washington, D.C. mayoral primary, a DSA candidate making it to the runoff in Los Angeles, and Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City. By the end of the year, the mayoralty of the country’s three largest cities may be in the hands of hard-left progressives.

If you’re thinking this is a workers’ revolution — not quite yet. Support for these candidates came from wealthier, better educated — and whiter — precincts. Even the race the DSA was not supposed to win — Darializa Avila Chevalier’s win against Adriano Espaillat, came in a Harlem-based precinct that’s seen a lot of gentrification in its Manhattan-based parts. Meanwhile, moderate Ritchie Torres saw no real challenge in a South Bronx district that’s still the poo…