Socialists set sights on the ground floor of government as GOP warns of bigger plan unfolding

Republicans are warning that the Democratic Socialists of America could be building a pipeline that reshapes the Democratic Party from the bottom up. At least 65 candidates aligned with the group have made it onto November's general election ballots for state legislative seats, according to a memo from the Republican State Leadership Committee, the GOP organization that works to elect conservatives at the state level. Fox News Digital obtained the memo exclusively.

The committee argues that statehouse seats give politicians a stage, experience in governing, donor connections and organizational muscle that can be used to pursue higher office. It points to several prominent DSA-aligned congressional contenders in 2026 who began in local and state organizing, presenting that route as one possible model: build candidates close to home, then back them for Congress. To compile its count, the committee included DSA members, candidates the group endorsed and those who describe themselves as members.

Republicans say many of these candidates hold views that swing voters and independents could find extreme, such as cutting police funding or eliminating departments, pursuing left-wing economic measures and calling for race-based reparations.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Fox News’s reporting. Read the full story at Fox News →