DSA wins fuel progressive push from Colorado to Midwest primaries

The far left is taking its political playbook across the country, moving from high-profile primaries in New York City and Colorado to a series of Democratic contests in Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida.

The left has been targeting the Midwest after far-left and socialist-leaning candidates won at the ballot box against establishment-backed candidates in congressional primaries in New York City and Colorado over the past two weeks.

Hours after Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed challenger and first-time candidate Melat Kiros unseated 15-term Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette in the primary in Denver’s deep-blue 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, former Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri promised on social media that “St. Louis will do the same on Aug. 4.”

Cyrus’s victory, combined with the wins a week ago of three far-left congressional candidates heavily backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, emboldens progressives who are trying to turn upsets in the isolated blue city into a national pressure campaign against the Democratic Party.

VICTORIES OF MAMDANI-SUPPORTED CONGRESS CANDIDATES FOCUS ON GROWING CONFLICTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

“Only socialism can solve decades of capitalist misrule in the United States. Our newly elected leaders will fight for the working class — not for crumbs,” DSA said in a social media post Wednesday.

In Missouri, DSA-backed Bush won the state’s St. He is running to win back his seat in the St. Louis-based 1st Congressional District.

Bush, a nurse, pastor and Black Lives Matter activist, first ran against Democratic Rep. Lacy Clay in 2018 and then unseated her in the 2020 Democratic primary. But two years ago, he launched his re-election bid in St. Louis, backed by millions in foreign money, including from pro-Israel groups that oppose Bush’s handling of the war in Gaza. He lost out to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UPDATED WITH FOX NEWS ELECTION CENTER

Former Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri is running to retake her former seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. (Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)

Fast forward to today, Bush and Clay are locked in an expensive and difficult rematch.

Those on the far left are also training their firepower in the key Great Lakes battleground of Michigan, which holds its primary on the same day as Missouri.

Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director who unsuccessfully ran for governor eight years ago as an insurgent, is one of three major candidates trying to succeed retired Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, D-Fla.

Last year’s far-left champion, Sen. of Vermont. El-Sayed, who is backed by Bernie Sanders, was endorsed Thursday by progressive rock star Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

THESE MIDTERM RACES WILL DETERMINE WHETHER REPUBLICANS WILL HAVE THE SENATE MAJORITY.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a progressive champion, has endorsed far-left candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s high-profile 2026 Democratic Senate primary. (Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

“AOC changed the course of American politics and inspired a generation to believe that government can truly work for working people,” El-Sayed wrote on social media. “Together, we are proving that a popularly supported movement can win, even in the face of unprecedented foreign spending.”

A week later, on August 11, primary elections are held in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong is rising among a crowded field of candidates in the race to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

“It’s a great day to be a democratic socialist,” DSA supporter Hong posted on X last week, following progressive victories in New York City that saw two Democratic congressmen lose renominations. “Wisconsin is next!”

In a week, the spotlight will shine on Florida; where DSA-backed Oliver Larkin is challenging two-term Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., in the state’s 25th Congressional District, which includes parts of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

DSA posted X hours after Kiros’ victory: “Tonight, @MelatKirosCO, tomorrow @OliverALarkin. The action moves from New York to Colorado to FLORIDA!” he wrote.

Kiros, who lost his law job in New York after writing an op-ed critical of Israel, was also endorsed by the Justice Democrats, the nearly decade-old political group known for heavily backing “Squad” members Ocasio-Cortez and Reps. Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib as they unseated entrenched incumbents in their first run for Congress.

Controversial far-left broadcaster Hasan Piker, who attended Kiros’ first night event in Denver, told Fox News: “I think progressive politics, left-wing populism, a politics that centers the needs of the working class, can work in every county, in every state. That’s why I’ve said over and over again, it’s coming to a city near you.”

Progressives also scored an impressive victory in the neighboring 8th Congressional District, a key swing seat along the I-25 corridor north of Denver.

State Rep. Manny Rutinel posted a convincing double-digit victory over former State Rep. Shannon Bird, a more moderate candidate. Routine will now take over for Republican Rep. Gabe Evans, who flipped the seat in the 2024 cycle.

This race is considered one of two or three dozen that will determine whether the GOP maintains its House majority in the midterm elections.

Progressive champion Sen. “There’s no denying that progressives have a message that can serve to galvanize a candidate when they build a coalition and are an acceptable alternative to the status quo,” longtime Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo, a veteran of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, told Fox News Digital.

While many mainstream Democrats have achieved primary victories in recent weeks, it has been the victories of the far left that have captured the media’s attention.

That gives Republicans, who face a tough political climate as they try to maintain their slim majorities in the House and Senate, more ammunition to portray all Democrats as radicals.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of a “communist” threat.

Vice President J.D. Vance argued Tuesday on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” that Democrats “have a view that the United States is an evil country that needs to be dismantled from its foundations and rebuilt.” “It has communism at its core, and you see the Democratic Party gaining more and more momentum in that direction.”