{
  "id": 19946028,
  "title": "US left embraces socialist label as stigma fades",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/us-left-embraces-socialist-label-as-stigma-fades",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T08:03:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/11/14/us-left-embraces-socialist-label-as-stigma-fades"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United States is witnessing a shift in political discourse, as socialism is becoming a more mainstream and acceptable label. Once considered a derogatory term, it is now being embraced by various politicians who are gaining traction within the Democratic Party. With the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) playing a significant role, the party has seen an influx of DSA-backed candidates winning local and congressional seats.\n\nDSA-endorsed politicians have boosted their congressional representation, leading cities such as New York and Los Angeles. The surge in support for socialism has been fueled by the success of high-profile politicians like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Politicians are starting to recognize that socialism is not a \"big, scary word,\" as noted by Cara Tobe, communications chair of the DSA.\n\nHowever, some political scholars are skeptical about the impact of socialism on the election results. Stephen Ansolabehere, a professor at Harvard University, believes that the Democrats' focus on affordability was largely influenced by the DSA's playbook. Hans Noel of Georgetown University attributes the Democrats' success to dissatisfaction with President Trump.\n\nWhile DSA-aligned candidates have had strong performances in primaries and Democratic areas, their successes have been limited to those regions. Nonetheless, polls indicate a growing acceptance of socialism in the U.S., a traditionally capitalist country where the term has been associated with communism. The DSA, founded in 1982, has expanded rapidly since the 2016 presidential election, with over 130,000 members.\n\nDSA members have been instrumental in electing progressive candidates to various local and state offices, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York being a prominent example. Mamdani's success has helped normalize the term \"socialism\" among politicians, who now perceive it as a positive asset for their campaigns. Despite lingering negative perceptions, DSA candidates are generally seen as centrist, with views aligned more closely with social democracy.",
  "summary": "Following November's midterms, Democratic Socialists of America members now lead cities across the US, including New York and Los Angeles.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}