Chicago Democratic Socialists of America

Chicago Democratic Socialists of America
AbbreviationChicago DSA or CDSA
Governing bodySteering Committee
Headquarters3441 W Diversey Avenue, Chicago
Membership (July 2026)Increase 3,288[1]
Ideology
Political positionLeft-wing
National affiliationDemocratic Socialists of America
City Council caucusChicago City Council Democratic Socialist Caucus
Chicago City Council
6 / 50[a]
Citywide executive offices
0 / 3[a]
State House (Chicago)
0 / 32[a]
State Senate (Chicago)
1 / 16[a]
U.S. House (Chicago)
0 / 8[a]
Website
chicagodsa.org

The Chicago Democratic Socialists of America (Chicago DSA or CDSA) is the Chicago local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).[2] In the late 2010s and early 2020s, Chicago DSA became a significant force in city politics through Chicago City Council campaigns and the formation of a socialist caucus within the council.[3][4][5]

In city elections, candidates associated with Chicago DSA have generally run on the Democratic Party ballot line.[6]

History

Origins and pre-2016 development

In 1982, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) formed as a merger of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee and the New American Movement, which had been headquartered in Chicago.[2][7]

Chicago DSA has hosted the DSA National Convention in 1991,[8] 2009,[9][10] 2017,[11] 2023,[12] and 2025.[13]

Post-Bernie growth

Chicago DSA grew as part of DSA's post-2016 expansion following Bernie Sanders' first presidential campaign and the election of Donald Trump.[14][2] The 2017 DSA national convention in Chicago reflected this shift, rising from 120 to over 800 delegates, who were several times younger than the pre-Bernie DSA.[15][16][17]

Electoral campaigns

Unlike most political parties, Chicaco DSA does not have a ballot line. Instead, Chicago DSA acts "like a party" or a "party surrogate" by endorsing and canvassing for candidates it supports.

City Council

In the 2015 Chicago aldermanic election, Chicago DSA participated in city-level socialist electoral organizing around Jorge Mújica's aldermanic campaign. Although Mújica lost, this campaign prefigured later chapter electoral strategy.[18][19][20] Carlos Ramirez-Rosa won his city council election and later joined Chicago DSA in 2017.[21][22] Ramirez-Rosa was the youngest Chicago city councilor yet elected and its first democratic socialist.[23]

In 2017, Illinois state Senator Daniel Biss, candidate for the 2018 Illinois gubernatorial election, selected Ramirez-Rosa to run for lieutenant governor on his ticket. Less than one week later, Ramirez-Rosa left the Biss campaign, because Ramirez-Rosa would not denounce Chicago DSA's support for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.[24][25]

In the 2019 Chicago aldermanic election, six DSA members won or retained seats on the Chicago City Council, giving democratic socialists their largest bloc in the body in living memory.[26][4][5] Chapter endorsements in 2019 also included Ugo Okere in the first round of the 40th Ward race; Okere was eliminated, and Chicago DSA endorsed Andre Vasquez in the runoff, which Vasquez won.[27][28] These socialist alderpeople informally organized as a Socialist Caucus. On May 1, 2021, five members formally launched the Chicago City Council Democratic Socialist Caucus.[29][30] The caucus has generally operated alongside the Chicago City Council Progressive Reform Caucus while pursuing a more explicitly socialist policy agenda.[29]

In the 2023 Chicago aldermanic election, six Chicago DSA-endorsed candidates won election or re-election. Winners included incumbents Daniel La Spata, Jeanette Taylor, Byron Sigcho-Lopez, Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, and Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, along with challenger Angela Clay. Additional chapter-endorsed candidates, including Nick Ward and Ambria Taylor, were defeated.[31][32]

In February 2025, Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Ramirez-Rosa as General Superintendent and CEO of the Chicago Park District.[33] Johnson nominated Anthony Quezada, a DSA-endorsed member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and former staffer of Ramirez-Rosa, to fill Ramirez-Rosa's seat. He was subsequently confirmed by a vote of the city council.[34]

U.S. House of Representatives

In the 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Illinois, Chicago DSA has endorsed and supported alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez's independent campaign for the 4th district.

Other campaigns

Labor organizing

During the 2019 Chicago Public Schools strike, Chicago DSA ran chapter-wide strike solidarity operations, including canvassing, picket-line support, and the "Bread for Ed" effort with Chicago Jobs with Justice to fund and distribute meals for students and strikers.[35][36]

Tenant organizing

In 2018 and 2019, Chicago DSA participated in Lift the Ban's tenant campaign to repeal Illinois' rent-control preemption law through coalition work, precinct-level referendums, and neighborhood canvassing.[37][38][39]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 DSA does not have a ballot line of its own. DSA runs candidates on the ballot lines of other political parties. The vast majority of DSA members in elected office ran on the Democratic Party ballot line.

References

  1. ↑ "DSA Membership by Chapter". Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Dorrien, Gary (2021). American Democratic Socialism: History, Politics, Religion, and Theory. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300262360.
  3. ↑ O'Brien, Kathleen (May 1, 2019). "Chicago Democratic Socialists Celebrate City Council Wins, Plan For Future: 'I Never Imagined We Would Have 6'". Block Club Chicago.
  4. 1 2 "Democratic socialists now control one-tenth of the Chicago City Council". Chicago Sun-Times. April 3, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Uetricht, Micah (June 29, 2019). "Chicago's democratic socialists promise change as they take office". The Guardian.
  6. ↑ Sato, Mia (July 2, 2019). "What The Gov: What Does It Mean To Have Six Democratic Socialists on the Chicago City Council?". Better Government Association. Better Government Association.
  7. ↑ Elbaum, Max (2002). Revolution in the Air. Verso. ISBN 9781859846179.
  8. ↑ Mosley, Bill (May 2020). "The Early 1990s (1990–1995) - Metro DC DSA". Metro DC DSA.
  9. ↑ Barrosse, Emilia (November 16, 2009). "Evanston hosts Democratic Socialists of America national convention". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  10. ↑ Grossman, Ron (November 15, 2009). "Socialists arrive in Evanston for national convention". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010.
  11. ↑ Krieg, Gregory (August 8, 2017). "Democratic Socialists are taking themselves seriously. Should Democrats? | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  12. ↑ "2023 DSA National Convention Retrospective: 'The Point, However, Is to Change It'". washingtonsocialist.mdcdsa.org. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  13. ↑ Janssen, Emma. "DSA Convenes, Argues, and Celebrates". prospect.org. The American Prospect. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  14. ↑ Day, Meagan; Uetricht, Micah (2020). Bigger Than Bernie: How We Go from the Sanders Campaign to Democratic Socialism. Verso. ISBN 9781839761355.
  15. ↑ Weigel, David (August 6, 2017). "The socialist movement is getting younger, thanks to one 75-year-old". The Washington Post.
  16. ↑ Krieg, Gregory (August 8, 2017). "Democratic Socialists are taking themselves seriously. Should Democrats?". CNN.
  17. ↑ Brogan, Jacob (August 23, 2017). "Beyond the Bernie bro: Socialism's diverse new youth brigade". Chicago Reader.
  18. ↑ Mortazavi, Andrew (May 1, 2014). "One, Two, Many Sawants? Chicago Activists Announce Socialist Candidate for City Council". In These Times.
  19. ↑ "Taking on Rahm". Jacobin. February 9, 2015.
  20. ↑ "DSA Chapters: Propose National Candidate Endorsements by June 1 — Here's Why". Democratic Left (DSA). May 15, 2017.
  21. ↑ Hébert-Daly, Corinne (May 30, 2018). "Beyond the Bernie Bro: Socialism's Diverse New Youth Brigade". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024.
  22. ↑ Bruenig, Matt (July 16, 2018). "Democrats ignore the left at their peril: Midwesterners aren't scared of socialism". NBC News. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025.
  23. ↑ Schorsch, Kristen (February 28, 2025). "Ramirez-Rosa to Lead Chicago Park District as Rosa Escareño Retires". WBEZ. Archived from the original on February 11, 2026.
  24. ↑ Uetricht, Micah (December 5, 2017). "Two Progressives Are Fighting to Represent Chicago in Congress". The Nation. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Biss Drops Ramirez-Rosa From Ticket in Bid for Illinois Governor". NBC Chicago. September 6, 2017. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Chicago City Council Election: Democratic Socialists gain seats on Chicago City Council". ABC 7 Chicago. April 3, 2019.
  27. ↑ "2019 Chicago aldermanic election". Wikipedia.
  28. ↑ "Today Chicago, Tomorrow Your City". Democratic Socialists of America.
  29. 1 2 Blumberg, Nick (July 3, 2019). "City Council Caucus Chairs on Chicago's Future". WTTW News.
  30. ↑ Kapos, Shia (May 3, 2021). "BUSTOS' EXIT AND THE REMAP — DUCKWORTH'S DUCKS IN A ROW — SCHOOL BOARD HEAD-TURNER". Politico.
  31. ↑ "2023 Chicago aldermanic election". Wikipedia.
  32. ↑ "It's Possible to Run for Office as an Unapologetic Socialist and Win". Truthout.
  33. ↑ Myers, Quinn; Parrella-Aureli, Ariel. "Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa Tapped As Next Park District Boss. Now, Logan Square Needs A New Alderman". Block Club Chicago. Block Club Chicago. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  34. ↑ Giangreco, Leigh. "Council Confirms Quezada". South Side Weekly. South Side Weekly. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  35. ↑ Schuba, Tom (October 20, 2019). "Democratic socialists on front lines of teachers strike aim to 'put the pressure on Mayor Lightfoot'". Chicago Sun-Times.
  36. ↑ "How Chicago Educators Joined Together for their Community". Jobs With Justice. November 2019.
  37. ↑ Sudo, Chuck (June 27, 2018). "A Look At The Calls For And Against Repealing Illinois' Rent Control Ban". Bisnow.
  38. ↑ Ross, Fran Spielman (March 2, 2019). "Rent control gains momentum after Chicago voters again give it thumbs up". Chicago Sun-Times.
  39. ↑ "The Right to Rent Control". Jacobin. April 20, 2018.
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