Zohran Mamdani’s campaign has been run by the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), an organization that, by its own members’ admission, despises the Democratic Party even as it uses the endorsement of high-ranking Democrats to bolster their campaigns.

A new video released by the watchdog group Canary Mission reveals DSA leaders across the country explaining that their strategy is to use the Democratic Party to win elections, but not for anything else. “I think we’re all on the same page that we hate the Democratic Party,” said Sarah Hurd of the Houston DSA.

“The Democratic Party is not really our friend. It isn’t,” added Estefania Galvis of NYC DSA.

“We must separate ourselves from the toxic Democratic Party,” said Seattle DSA’s Philip Locker.

“I don’t agree with the Democratic Party, but it’s a great tool,” declared Jordan Garces of the Rhode Island chapter. He continued, “We’re not here to make the Democrats a little bit better. We’re here to enact socialism. It’s about overthrowing the entire capitalist state.”

Asad Haider said in a DSA webinar, “We need to orient ourselves towards insurrection,” while Francis Gil of Los Angeles added, “The most important thing we can do is take that empire down from within.” Mamdani himself has said, “Winning an election is not an end. It is a means to an end.”

The plan, according to DSA’s own leaders, is to run candidates as Democrats in deep-blue districts, win low-turnout primaries, and then use those positions to advance a socialist agenda. Once in office, these officials are expected to answer not to voters or local party leaders, but to DSA’s internal “working groups,” which dictate policy.

“They have to be committed to the eventual goal of building a separate entity from the Democrats,” explained Alex Mayben of Seattle DSA.

The result is a network of elected officials promoting policies including rent freezes, government control of industry, “abolition” of police and prisons, and even calls to “overthrow our own empire,” meaning America.

The DSA has been vocal about its plan since at least June 2016 in its published strategy document entitled Resistance Rising: Socialist Strategy in the Age of Political Revolution. The document states under the section on electoral organizing, “The nature of our electoral activism will vary based on local political conditions. But it will include supporting progressive and socialist candidates running for office, usually in Democratic primaries or as Democrats in general elections.”

The organization intends to “forge larger socialist electoral coalitions, both within and outside of the Democratic party and ultimately to create a majoritarian electoral coalition in support of socialist, political and economic reforms.”

Campaign-finance records show that Mamdani’s campaign has paid nearly $29,000 to the DSA for canvassing, funding the same organization that seeks to dismantle the party he is representing in the primary.

Grace Mauser, co-chair of NYC-DSA, wrote in a December press release for Mamdani’s campaign, “Across the five boroughs, we’re hearing the same issues – rent is too high, groceries are too expensive, and the Mayor simply isn’t doing enough. Zohran has a plan to freeze the rent, bring down grocery prices, and root out the corruption that has festered for too long in city hall.”

Many of Mamdani’s top campaign staffers come directly from DSA, including his campaign manager, Elle Bisgaard-Church, a DSA organizer. Field director Tascha Van Auken, also affiliated with the DSA, was profiled in City & State for building a “50,000-strong volunteer army” from socialist and activist circles.

Democrats who once condemned DSA’s actions are now endorsing its candidates.

In October 2023, the New York City DSA organized a pro-Hamas rally in Times Square while Palestinian terrorists were still murdering 1,200 Israelis and taking another 250 hostage. Activists burned Israeli flags and waved swastikas while chanting in support of “resistance.”

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor. So did Governor Kathy Hochul, Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senator Bernie Sanders. Liz Warren, Jerry Nadler, Pramila Jayapal, and so many other Democrats have thrown their support behind the avowed socialist candidate. The Democrats’ official social media channels even shared videos from the DSA rally.

Mamdani is just one of a slate of elected officials in New York who are being backed by DSA, including Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, State Senators Jabari Brisport, Kristen Gonzalez, Julia Salazar, State Assembly Members Claire Valdez, Phara Souffrant Forrest, Marcela Mitaynes, Sarahana Shrestha, Shahana Hanif, and New York City Council Members Alexa Avilés and Tiffany L. Cabán.

While each member holds office under the Democratic label, their loyalty lies with the DSA, whose leadership explicitly calls for “tearing apart the Democratic Party” to “build political independence.” The same model is being replicated across the US. As DSA leader Sarah Milner put it: “We can forward a clear, aggressive, principled strategy that pushes back against the Democratic leadership and the Democratic Party as a whole.”