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DSA vs America First Status: Remarks reported; Epstein says views are his own

Mamdani Strategist Talks DSA Plans for AOC in 2028, Later Says the Views Were His Own

By AFNS Research Desk · · 1 min read

New York City Hall seen through the trees and fence of City Hall Park
Photo: Nielsoncaetanosalmeron / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped)

Epstein says these are his own views, not DSA's. After the interview was published, Andrew Epstein told the New York Post that the views he expressed were his own and not those of DSA (NY Post).

What he said

Epstein, a top strategist for Zohran Mamdani, told the Belgian newspaper De Tijd that DSA wants to take over the Democratic Party by running Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for president in 2028, according to the New York Post's account of the interview.

"You can only change a party by putting forward a president," Epstein said, comparing it to how Trump remade the GOP (NY Post).

The wider picture

  • Polling: an Economist/YouGov poll found 50% would vote for a democratic socialist and 41% would not (The Hill).
  • The Nov. 3 ballot: DSA counts about 200 endorsed candidates and ballot measures (Democratic Left).
  • Races DSA is watching, per its publication: Nithya Raman for Los Angeles mayor, Gonzales-Torres against Rep. Jimmy Gomez, and Mai Vang against Rep. Doris Matsui.

Sources

  1. New York Post nypost.com
  2. The Hill: voters and democratic socialist candidates thehill.com
  3. Democratic Left: DSA races to watch democraticleft.dsausa.org

See our sourcing & corrections standards.

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