Democratic Party’s Control Over Candidates Weakened by Rise of Super PACs and Socialist Wing

The Democratic Party, America’s longest-serving major political party since its founding in 1828, is losing its traditional grip over candidate selection and party direction. The rise of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a modern political movement with roots tracing to the Socialist Party of 1901 and the American Communist Party of 1919, now poses an unprecedented challenge to Democratic establishment control.

The fundamental shift stems from a 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which fundamentally altered the landscape of American political fundraising. Before this ruling, major political parties wielded near-total authority over candidate selection through their control of money, endorsements, and campaign expenditures. The dominance of party machinery in primary elections was nearly absolute, with establishment-backed candidates winning with regularity.

Super PACs, operating independently of candidates and parties, now command resources that dwarf traditional party spending. These organizations can raise and spend unlimited sums to support candidates without coordinating directly with them. The result is that political parties have lost their historical monopoly on candidate viability and campaign resources.

The New York mayoral race demonstrated this new reality. DSA member Zohran Mamdani’s victory was powered substantially by New Yorkers for Lower Costs, an independent group that raised nearly $2 million in support of his candidacy. Elizabeth Simons, heir to hedge fund billionaire Jim Simons’ $32.5 billion fortune, contributed $250,000 to the group. Mamdani’s campaign exemplifies how DSA candidates can now compete effectively without party support.

The Democratic National Committee itself has become financially strained, relying on super PACs rather than traditional fundraising to finance midterm campaigns. This dynamic represents a wholesale reversal of pre-2010 political operations. DSA members, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, now claim Democratic Party affiliation while advancing a socialist agenda on issues ranging from the Green New Deal to healthcare reform and police defunding.

Establishment Democrats remain divided on this development. Van Jones, former adviser to President Barack Obama, has warned that the DSA is “hijacking” the party. Other Democrats defend the situation by characterizing their party as a “big tent” capable of accommodating diverse ideologies. The practical reality, however, is that the Democratic Party possesses no legal mechanism to prevent DSA members from running as Democrats or redefining the party’s platform.