Hamilton Nolan on the oddest gap in DSA’s winning streak: organized labor hasn’t decided what to think about it. New York is the preview — big unions backed the establishment until socialist wins forced a rethink.
- Mamdani entered the mayoral primary a fringe candidate; only UAW Region 9A endorsed him early, while 1199SEIU, 32BJ SEIU, and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council backed Cuomo or nobody — then lined up behind him after he won
- Same pattern this year: Claire Valdez, a former UAW organizer, drew only a minority of left-leaning union endorsements while her opponent had the union who’s who — Valdez and seven other DSA candidates won anyway
- The 2016 echo: unions overwhelmingly backed Clinton over Sanders, “the truest believer in the labor movement, and ended up with nothing”
- The concrete prize: Valdez’s platform would have the federal government fund union organizing — attacking the biggest obstacle to organizing (resources) without waiting for labor-law reform that never passes
Nolan’s case is power politics, not ideology: DSA candidates need union allies, and unions need the energy of a movement that’s actually winning. The window hasn’t closed.
Cargo ships turn slowly, but first movers win. “Unions can help be part of the solution to the party’s reform, or they can get left behind in favor of more savvy progressive interest groups.”