Democratic socialist victories offer Republicans a five-fold gift

Democratic socialists are taking over the Democratic Party. Republicans benefit from Democrats’ escalating civil war in five ways.

The democratic socialist ascendancy within the Democratic Party is everywhere. As recently as 2016, it was just Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) who embodied it. However, his shockingly strong challenge to establishmentarian Hillary Clinton was just a hint of what was coming.

In 2018, the progressive Democrats known as “the Squad” swept into Congress and brought into their ranks two Democratic Socialists of America acolytes: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). More, such as Reps. Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Summer Lee (D-Pa.) would follow. In 2025, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won New York City’s mayoral race and Katie Wilson did the same in Seattle.

Going into Tuesday, three more had won House primaries that virtually guaranteed general election victories. Now, democratic socialist-endorsed Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan’s Senate Democratic primary and Sanders-endorsed Donovan McKinney has knocked out incumbent Democrat Shri Thanedar in Michigan’s 13th District — with progressive Will Lawrence winning the party’s nod in the 7th District. More may occur up and down Democratic ballots nationwide, including Francesca Hong’s upcoming gubernatorial primary in Wisconsin.

Democratic socialists obviously benefit from these assaults on the Democratic Party. For five reasons, Republicans are even bigger winners.

First, regardless of outcomes, socialists confronting other Democrats in primaries splits the party. Prior to having........

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