The Democratic Socialists of America won significant races in New York, Colorado, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Several of the party’s new congressional members have also voiced ambitious, and in some cases controversial, policy positions.
BlazeTV host Pat Gray introduced Darializa Avila Chevalier, pointing to her past calls to defund and abolish the police. In 2020, she wrote that police should be abolished and objected to what she called efforts to dilute the movement. Gray also cited a post in which she reportedly argued for eliminating police altogether.
Gray said Chevalier had described then-presidential candidate Joe Biden as a war criminal and called the United States a disgrace. He also referred to a now-deleted post in which she criticized Black and Arab men for fetishizing white women.
Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old Ethiopian immigrant and DSA member, won Colorado’s 1st Congressional District. Gray said Kiros supports abolishing ICE, universal child and elder care, Medicare for All, and a federal transgender bill of rights. He also criticized her support for transgender people participating in sports and using locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.
Kiros has argued that socialism better reflects the Declaration of Independence’s values than capitalism, Gray said. She has also faced criticism for comments about Israel and for saying the September 11 attacks were inevitable given U.S. actions that destabilized the Middle East.
In Michigan, DSA member Donavan McKinney won a Detroit-area congressional seat. Gray said McKinney backs Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, ending cash bail, abolishing ICE and providing free housing. He also supports using public funds for abortion services and offering amnesty to undocumented immigrants, Gray said.
Chris Rabb, elected in Pennsylvania’s 3rd District, supports abolishing ICE, establishing national grocery stores, reparations for Black Americans and the Green New Deal, according to Gray. Rabb has also called for greater investment in mental health responders, President Trump’s impeachment and an end to the death penalty.
Claire Valdez, who won a seat representing part of New York City, drew attention during her campaign for saying she would take Mexico’s fight against imperialism to Congress. Gray criticized the position, describing it as putting Mexico ahead of the United States.
