RICH LOWRY: Workers of the world aren’t uniting behind the DSA

RICH LOWRY: Workers of the world aren’t uniting behind the DSA July 22, 2026 - 9:01 pm The Democratic primary contest in Michigan has highlighted a persistent pattern: socialist‑leaning candidates attract strong support from well‑educated, white voters while struggling to gain traction among the broader, more diverse Democratic base. Abdul El‑Sayed, the progressive insurgent endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez and critical of Israel, has generated momentum but now trails Haley Stevens, the establishment choice, by roughly seven points according to a Detroit News survey. Stevens holds a three‑to‑one advantage over El‑Sayed among Black voters, whereas El‑Sayed leads among white voters 51 percent to 39 percent. Among non‑college‑educated constituents, Stevens prevails 56 percent to 34 percent, while El‑Sayed edges ahead with college‑educated voters 48 percent to 41 percent. These splits mirror what has emerged in recent campaigns: socialist candidates often portray themselves as champions of workers and people of color, yet their appeal remains concentrated among affluent, white academics who feel they have not received the status they deserve. Although many socialist hopefuls cite immigrant backgrounds, the data suggest the divide is not primarily about immigration. A 2021 study of Democratic Socialists of America members found that 85 percent identified as white, 80 percent held bachelor’s degrees, and 35 percent possessed advanced degrees. This profile resembles earlier European socialist movements that anticipated a mass working‑class uprising but encountered mostly intellectuals and activists instead. For DSA‑aligned candidates, the reliability of college‑educated white voters offers a silver lining. While socialist economic ideas may theoretically attract working‑class supporters, the movement’s coupling of those ideas with progressive cultural positions—such as rejecting traditional gender binaries—limits its appeal among non‑college‑educated voters. Taxing the wealthy finds broad agreement, but proposals to transcend the sex binary encounter resistance. The prevailing pragmatism of Black Democratic voters, compared with the more idealistic stance of many white Democrats, may ultimately determine whether an Ocasio‑Cortez‑style hopeful can secure the party’s presidential nomination in 2028. Winning over the so‑called “Commie Belt” in New York City, where figures like Zohran Mamdani thrive, differs markedly from earning the trust of older, spiritually oriented African‑American voters in regions such as South Carolina’s I‑95 Black Belt. In the 2020 primaries, Bernie Sanders campaigned with fervent ideological energy, while Joe Biden endured a series of early setbacks. Black Democrats nevertheless viewed Biden as the safer option, effectively ending Sanders’ bid. In short, workers worldwide may one day unite, but not under a socialist banner driven chiefly by the grievances of ideologically driven, college‑educated white activists. Rich Lowry is on X @RichLowry