Socialists’ Victories Signal the End of New York City’s Old Democratic Party

The Democratic primaries in New York City just delivered a stark verdict: the traditional Democratic Party, rooted in pragmatic governance, neighborhood loyalty, and a shared commitment to American institutions, is over. The victories of Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates instead mark the ascendance of the far left. As someone who has spent over two decades as an adjunct professor of political science in New York City, and who worked in senior positions for both Republican and Democratic elected officials, I have watched this shift with a heavy heart. I entered New York politics at a time when Democrats and Republicans could disagree vigorously on policy yet respected one another as fellow Americans. I had the privilege of serving under old-school Democrats like former Brooklyn borough presidents Howard Golden and Marty Markowitz. These were men who understood the rhythms of Brooklyn’s neighborhoods, fought for infrastructure, economic opportunity, and constituent services without the filter of ideological purity tests. Golden’s steady leadership and Mr. Markowitz’s exuberant boosterism embodied a Democratic Party that celebrated the city’s diversity while believing in its promise within the American system. They didn’t demonize opponents or flirt with radical upheaval; they worked to make government function for working people. In 2009, I ran as the Republican candidate for City Council against Democrat Vincent Gentile in southwest Brooklyn. Though we were political adversaries, our disagreements were on taxes, spending priorities, and the role of government — not on the legitimacy of our constitutional republic. We both loved New York and loved America. Campaigns were tough but civil. After the race, bridges remained intact because we shared a baseline patriotism and faith in democratic processes. That era feels like ancient history now. The DSA and their socialist allies operate from a different worldview. Their victories yesterday — sweeping congressional and state legislative races with candidates pushing defund-the-police echoes, expansive wealth redistribution, hatred toward Israel, and a broader critique of American capitalism — signal a hostile takeover. This rising generation questions the very foundations of our system: private property, law enforcement, and America’s role in the world. Patriotism is often reframed as nationalism to be scorned. “Love of country” is subordinated to transnational ideologies or identity-based grievances.This transformation didn’t happen overnight. It reflects decades of ideological drift in academia, activist circles, and local Democratic clubs, accelerated by national figures who normalized “democratic socialism.” In New York City, where one-party dominance already stifles competition, the primaries have become the real election. Yesterday’s results show progressives consolidating power by mobilizing energized bases while traditional moderates and working-class Democrats stay home or get sidelined. As a political science instructor who has studied these trends, I see the consequences clearly. The old Democratic machine, for all its flaws of patronage and occasional corruption, delivered tangible results: safer streets in the 1990s turnaround, economic growth, and a social safety net paired with opportunity. It operated within the guardrails of American federalism and capitalism. The DSA vision risks replacing that with governance by slogan — rent freezes that exacerbate shortages, policing reforms that invite disorder, and foreign policy stances that alienate allies and embolden adversaries.My experience working across the aisle taught me that effective governance requires compromise and a common commitment to the country. I never questioned the patriotism of Golden, Mr. Markowitz, Mr. Gentile, or the countless other Democrats I collaborated with, even when we clashed on issues like education reform or fiscal policy. They believed in America’s capacity for self-improvement. The socialists, by contrast, seem to view the United States as irredeemably flawed, a nation needing fundamental transformation rather than reform. That distinction is everything.The DSA’s primary wins will likely translate to general election victories in deep-blue districts, entrenching a far-left agenda in Albany and City Hall. The traditional Democratic Party — pragmatic, pro-growth, pro-police in measured ways, and pro-American — is being transformed into a vehicle for ideological activism.The old Brooklyn and New York City Democrats I knew would barely recognize today’s party. It’s time for New York to reckon with what it has become.

Socialists’ Victories Signal the End of New York City’s Old Democratic Party

Socialists’ Victories Signal the End of New York City’s Old Democratic Party

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