NPR’s A Martinez speaks with Brad Lander, Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th Congressional District, about the rise of democratic socialists in the Democratic Party.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Three candidates endorsed by New York’s democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their primaries. And they include former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who defeated incumbent Dan Goldman to become the Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th Congressional District. Brad, so I want people to know that you were a member of the Democratic Socialists of America for decades. And you left the group over disagreements about the way it reacted to the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. But you still describe yourself as an ally of the group. So that said, why do you think democratic socialists are having a moment in Democratic politics right now?
BRAD LANDER: Good morning. Across the country, voters are making themselves heard so loud and clear. They want elected officials who will fight harder for working people on housing and health care, things that matter in their daily lives, who stand up to special interests and reject the corrosive role of money in politics, who put their bodies on the line to protect their neighbors and won’t keep sending money and bombs for Netanyahu’s wars. And DSA members like Claire Valdez, who you just heard, and Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania and Melat Kiros in Colorado are organizing for that, as are many progressive Democrats like me and Analilia Mejia and others around the country. And voters are energized by it.
MARTÍNEZ: Now, most of the DSA’s wins are coming in the heavily populated urban areas. Why do you think the DSA’s message seems to play well in big American cities?
LANDER: Well, look, a lot of DSA is young people who have been so disaffected with corrupt and cynical politics, and who get involved, knocking doors and attending rallies, and not just in electoral politics but issue campaigns for universal child care, to stop evictions or to protect immigrant neighbors. I think those politics can play all around the country. Everybody wants harder fighting on the affordability crisis. No one likes money in politics. And I think most Americans want to stop sending money for Netanyahu’s wars. But young people are concentrated in cities, and that’s where this movement is strongest.
MARTÍNEZ: Now, as we just heard from Elena Moore, President Trump has called politicians like you communists. So for someone, Brad, who might say, OK, so maybe the DSA are not communists, but their ideology is in the communist ballpark, what would you say to them?
LANDER: Well, it is not in the communist ballpark. Honestly, if anyone’s looking to use government to steal people’s rights, to spy on you, it’s Donald Trump and Elon Musk. You know, democratic is the first name of Democratic Socialists of America. To me, democratic socialism is people who want to extend democracy into more aspects of our lives – into workplaces and communities and schools and health care – so folks have more say over their lives. That’s the opposite of totalitarianism. So if you want to fight people who are – you know, who are fascists, DSA is a good place for you. But you can also be a progressive Democrat who cares about Medicare for all and work in partnership with DSA.
MARTÍNEZ: So, Brad, I’ll give you an example here. So when I see the organization saying something like wanting to collectively own the key economic drivers that dominate our lives – such as energy, production and transportation – how is that not close to controlling the means of production, which is something that a communist might believe in?
LANDER: Well, let’s just take health care, for example. Right now, our health care is rationed by a handful of for-profit insurance companies who make profit by giving us less care. Making that Medicare for all, something that the government controls democratically, you could still go see your doctor. Your life will be more free because you could get good health care that’s not rationed by a small handful of corporations. But it’s a decision that we make together. You know, that’s democratic socialism. But many progressives and people who don’t consider themselves socialists also think it’s a really good idea.
MARTÍNEZ: Do you worry that a Democratic Party that embraces socialists will suffer in districts that maybe aren’t as blue as the one you hope to represent?
LANDER: Look, you know, I just got, you know, elected to be the nominee for the House of Representatives. And your job is to represent your districts. And it’s a very broad and diverse and different country. So, sure, in more front line, moderate districts, Democratic candidates are going to approach their constituents differently. It’s got to be a broad, coalitional party. Of course, your opponents are going to attack you based on, like, someone else. And you got to say, here’s who I am. Here’s how I’m going to fight for you. And that’s what the best candidates do, regardless of what label they give themselves within the party.
MARTÍNEZ: I heard Rahm Emanuel argue that instead of focusing on turning already blue districts into, as he terms it, midnight blue, that Democrats need to drill down on moderate stances to flip red districts. How does that reasoning sound? Does that hold water to you?
LANDER: I mean, look, to me, the line is not, you know, progressives and democratic socialists versus moderates. It’s fighters versus folders. People want to see elected officials who will fight for them, who understand their daily struggles and who are saying, here’s how we’re going to fix something. Your housing is insanely expensive – here’s what I’m going to do about it. And I think we would do better to talk to voters about the things that matter in their lives rather than attack each other, one way or another, based on factional labels.
MARTÍNEZ: You’re the Democratic nominee for a safe blue seat. So your chances of serving in the next Congress are pretty high. But how do you think your election and those of democratic socialist candidates could change the way the Democratic Party operates in Washington, D.C.?
LANDER: Look, some things need to change, and voters are saying it loud and clear. We should get money out of politics and not have the Democratic Party be perceived as being beholden to crypto PACs or, you know, private equity or to AIPAC. Democratic voters don’t want to keep sending money and bombs for Netanyahu’s wars, and I think Democratic leaders should hear that.
MARTÍNEZ: You’ve said that you’d support a Hakeem Jeffries for speaker if you’re elected. Some democratic socialists do not share that same position. Do you have any concerns that if Democrats do take control of the House that infighting might stop you from making the changes that you want to see?
LANDER: I think we can stay focused on a really unifying message and politics to fight for working people. We’re going to restore those health care subsidies that Republicans took away from you last year. We’re going to get money out of politics. We’re going to stand up to special interests and deliver for you. I think every Democrat can win on that message broadly.
MARTÍNEZ: You know, rebranding away from a name with baggage sometimes happens. I think of the band the Dixie Chicks becoming the Chicks. In order to expand its reach, does the Democratic Socialists of America need to drop the word socialist from its name?
LANDER: Oh, I don’t think so. No, it needs to explain what it is. What we mean by democratic socialism is extending democracy into more aspects of our lives. And, you know, this is an opportunity to do that. But again, it’s a big party. And if you like that label, great, go with it. If you want to think of yourselves as a progressive or a member of the Working Families Party, as I do, also great. We can – but mostly it’s just we want to renew democracy at a time when people have so much doubt, and trust, by fighting for our constituents, by fighting for working people. That’s how we’ll win in the fall. That’s how we’ll have a majority in the House. And that’s how we’ll make this country better.
MARTÍNEZ: Brad Lander is a former member of the Democratic Socialists of America and the Democratic nominee for New York’s 10th Congressional District. Brad, thanks.
LANDER: Thank you.
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