Conservative Critics Assail Socialist Group’s Youth Outreach Initiative in South Carolina

The Charleston chapter of Democratic Socialists of America drew fierce backlash from Republican officials and conservative activists after advertising a training session for volunteers interested in providing child care at organizational meetings. The group’s Facebook post, shared Friday, sought participants to help cultivate its “next generation of comrades” through a virtual Zoom training scheduled for Monday evening.

The recruitment message indicated that no prior experience with children was required and promised instruction in best practices for welcoming and supporting young members. The training would include scenario roleplay and confidence-building exercises for volunteers with or without children of their own.

South Carolina Republican Party officials and conservative commentators quickly condemned the effort as part of a broader socialist strategy to indoctrinate youth. Adam Morgan, founding chairman of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, called for investigation into what he characterized as a dangerous organizing tactic in a reliably Republican state.

In March, the DSA Charleston chapter had hosted its first “Comrades With Kids hangout,” inviting parents to bring children for card games, crafts, and recreational activities. Conservative social media accounts cited the event as evidence of coordinated youth recruitment efforts unfolding nationwide.

The controversy extends beyond Charleston, as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has championed child care initiatives including a “Parents’ Night Out” program offering free babysitting. The pilot program served nearly 300 children across five boroughs on August 16.

South Carolina has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1980, with President Donald Trump winning the state by approximately 18 points in 2024. Fox News Digital contacted both Mamdani’s office and DSA Charleston for comment on the allegations.