Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha warns Democrats could be headed toward “extinction” as socialist candidates gain momentum within the party.
Concha argued that the Democratic Party is experiencing a growing shift toward socialism, warning that establishment figures could be pushed aside as progressive candidates gain traction.
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Concha noted that the progressive movement has evolved from “a wave” into “a tidal wave” that threatens to reshape the Democratic Party. “It feels like a tidal wave at this point,” Concha said on Fox News’s Fox and Friends First Thursday, arguing that candidates aligned with the movement are outperforming more conventional Democrats.
Following the socialist victories within the Democratic Party, Concha added that primary contests in states such as Michigan and Wisconsin suggest the establishment may be becoming “another E word, extinct.”
Democratic Socialists of America have scored dozens of wins in primary elections so far this year, most notably former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and Colorado’s 1st Congressional District candidate Melat Kiros.
Concha noted that the party’s traditional leadership is struggling to connect with Democratic voters, pointing to polling that shows several high-profile figures failing to generate broad enthusiasm, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
“Those were all seen maybe as establishment, and it’s time to do something different,” Concha said. He argued that even criticism from Democrats such as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and commentators including Van Jones and Bill Maher have done little to slow the movement’s momentum.
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“The message of giving away free stuff without really having to explain how that can be done, without hurting everybody, appears to be resonating,” Concha said, “particularly among young voters who feel that the system is working against them, and therefore, it’s time to blow the whole thing up.”
Concha pointed to Michigan’s Senate race as a key test of whether socialist candidates can compete statewide in battleground territory, arguing that a win for Democratic candidate Abdul el Sayed in both the primary and general election would validate socialism as a winning message in swing states.
