Socialists in Congress Need Their Own Caucus to Advance Their Agenda and Build a Socialist Pole
Source: Nick French. "We Need a Socialist Congressional Caucus." November 4, 2026. jacobin.com
The Gist
Socialists are about to have more seats in Congress than ever, but they're still a small group inside a Democratic Party whose leaders oppose them. The existing progressive caucus has drifted too moderate to represent them, so they should form their own caucus to coordinate strategy, show voters what real socialist legislators stand for, and prepare for the coming fights with the party establishment.
Conclusion
Socialist members of Congress should form their own dedicated congressional caucus, because it would help them coordinate tactically, distinguish themselves from moderate Democrats, and build long-term political power for the socialist left.
Premises
- Socialists will soon hold more congressional seats than ever before (nine members), but they will remain a tiny minority within a Democratic caucus led by avowed anti-socialists and dominated by pro-corporate and militarist members.
- Ideological caucuses are an established, useful tool in Congress for formulating ideas, coordinating strategy, advancing priorities that lack broad party support, and signaling ideological alignment.
- The Congressional Progressive Caucus is no longer ideologically cohesive and cannot be relied upon to fight for socialist goals: many members oppose Medicare for All or military budget cuts, overlap with the centrist NDC, and include incumbents recently ousted by DSA challengers.
- A socialist caucus could make strategic interventions to advance its aims and block bad policy, as the Squad's correct stand on bundling the infrastructure bill and Build Back Better showed and as the Freedom Caucus's hardball tactics showed, though a small minority's leverage is limited.
- Conflict with the party's moderates and establishment is unavoidable, given moderates' denunciations of socialism and the efforts of AIPAC and Third Way to defeat left-wing candidates.
- A caucus would let the Left point to legislators with a demonstrated commitment to socialist priorities, distinguish them from unreliable 'progressives,' consolidate electoral support, and strengthen allied institutions like unions and DSA, a value that grows if socialists keep winning.
Assumptions
- Formal organization translates into greater legislative and political effectiveness for a small minority bloc.
- The Freedom Caucus and the Squad's BBB episode are instructive analogies for what a socialist caucus could achieve, despite differences in context and numbers.
- The benefits of a distinct socialist brand (clarity for voters, a recognizable pole) outweigh the costs, such as reduced influence in the broader CPC or backlash from party leadership.
- Socialists will continue winning elections and the intraparty conflict will intensify.
- Running on the Democratic ballot line remains the best near-term strategy, so the caucus operates within the Democratic Party.
- Public differentiation from the CPC is more valuable than maintaining cross-caucus alliances with progressives.