Battleground Democrat Threatens to Leave Party as Socialist Wins Fuel House Takeover Fears

A Democrat representing a competitive House district has grown so uneasy over a string of recent left-wing primary victories that the lawmaker has privately discussed the possibility of leaving the party, CNN reported.

The concern follows a turbulent week for the Democratic establishment in New York, where candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America scored three primary wins with backing from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Two of the candidates supported by Mamdani defeated more moderate incumbents who had received endorsements from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Jeffries said he and Mamdani had “agreed to strongly disagree” over the endorsements, while adding that his relationship with the mayor remained “a very good one.”

One of Mamdani’s successful endorsees, Darializa Avila Chevalier, has drawn criticism after declining to give a direct answer when asked whether murderers should be imprisoned. She has previously voiced support for abolishing police and prisons.

During an appearance Wednesday on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Avila Chevalier said she had not yet decided whether she would support Jeffries for Speaker if Democrats regain control of the House.

The moderate wing of the party has faced other recent blows as well, including the defeat of two Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee-backed candidates in battleground-district primaries this month.

Those results cleared the way for challengers Randy Villegas and Matt Dunlap to advance in races against vulnerable House Republicans in California and Maine, respectively.

If both parties defend their vacant House seats in November, Democrats only need to flip three to seize the majority back.

But if their majority remains small, even a single defection could undermine the party’s efforts to oppose President Donald Trump.

Some Democrats fear that progressive candidates will simply prove too radical to unseat Republicans and take back the House. 

Greg Meeks, a New York Democrat close to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, told CNN that he saw the DSA victories as ‘not a good night for New York.’ 

He added that he wished his party would spend less resources on infighting and more on opposing Donald Trump.

New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer was another moderate House Representative upset by the far-left victories.

Gottheimer has attacked Mamdani for his criticism of the nation of Israel, on Sunday lambasting as an ‘antisemitic conspiracy theory’ Mamdani’s recent description of AIPAC as a ‘monster.’

‘Are we going to let [the socialists] take over the party?’ he said to CNN on Tuesday.

‘Many of us believe, as I do, that if you’re a socialist, you’re not a Democrat.’ 

‘A toxic, anti-American bigot like Darializa Avila Chevalier cannot represent the Democratic Party in any way,’ Jamie Metzl, a tech futurist who worked in President Bill Clinton’s State Department, wrote on X Wednesday. 

‘Our party must actively and aggressively work against Chevalier.’ 

Multiple moderate Democratic strategists expressed concern to Politico that the policies of more radical Democrats would expose moderates to GOP attacks.

‘These [DSA] races might have some impact on 2026 if Republicans weaponize the craziest ideas of these candidates against mainstream Democrats,’ said Matt Bennett, co-founder of a moderate think tank.

Democratic leadership has downplayed angst over anti-establishment candidates.

‘You’re seeing centrist energy in Virginia, Iowa, and New Jersey, progressive energy in New York City,’ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday, per Politico.

‘We’re going to harness it all to win in November.’