Democratic socialists won seats across the country — including Arizona

Among the Democratic wins this midterm election is a substantially more progressive wave sweeping the U.S. — landing a historic number of Democratic socialists in public office.

At all levels of government, members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have scored major wins, including five congressional candidates and several Arizona candidates who won re-elections and some set to start their freshman careers in public office come January.

In Tucson, state Rep.-elect Miranda Lopez beat out incumbent Rep. Consuelo Hernandez to lead Legislative District 21, representing parts of Pima and Santa Cruz counties.

In Phoenix, the local chapter endorsed state Sen. Analise Ortiz, who won another term, and Alberto Flores and Lisbeth Arescurenaga, who won seats in the Arizona House. All three will represent Legislative District 24.

The chapter also endorsed Ed Hermes for Phoenix City Council District 4. He advanced to a March 9, 2027, runoff, according to the city’s unofficial election results.

Lopez said local democratic socialists helped her win her seat. Now, those volunteers want to help turn her campaign promises into policy.

“My win would not have been possible without the help of Tucson DSA,” Lopez told CALÓ News in an email.

She was the only candidate the Tucson chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America endorsed this cycle. Ethan Alcock, who helps lead the chapter’s election work, said it brought together 30 volunteers for her campaign, knocking on one door after another, more than 2,500 in all.

DSA is a national socialist organization with local chapters, including Tucson and Phoenix. Its goals call for a democratic role for the economy and society, with working people having more power over the decisions that shape their lives, according to Alcock.

“We believe that the economy and society that we live in should be run by and for the people who make it work,” Alcock said.

What DSA stands for

DSA’s national rules call for an economy based on people’s needs instead of private profit, along with racial equality. According to the organization, DSA is not a political party. Joining does not change a person’s voter registration.

Alcock said being endorsed by a chapter does not require the candidate to be a DSA member, though Lopez is both.

In Tucson, members asked Lopez about her plans before voting to endorse. Alcock said her plans on housing costs, rent control and Palestinian human rights helped win members over.

He said local members choose their campaigns and strategy at meetings each month. A national convention, held every two years, sets broader policy. National rules also establish requirements for chapters, so local decisions take place within a larger organization.

During the run-up to the election, voters expressed that labor rights were top of mind and Lopez said it was one of her early priorities.

“One specific proposal that I will pursue is repealing Arizona's "right to work" laws that prevent unions from building power through membership and keep public workers from engaging in collective bargaining,” she said.

That protection is also in the Arizona Constitution, so the change would need voter approval.

She also wants to require companies doing work for the state to have union workers make up part of their staff. Moving a bill forward would take support from other lawmakers. She asked residents to connect her with their local unions so more workers can help shape her plans.

In Phoenix, candidates ran on similar issues. Ortiz supports limits on rent increases and stopping corporations from buying homes meant for families, according to her campaign website.

Arescurenaga’s campaign website calls for expanding mental health services in the community, including more support for young people in schools, so families can get care without long waits or financial barriers.

And Flores said in his responses to Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey that he wants to fully fund public schools, raise pay for teachers and school staff and make school voucher spending more transparent.

Support before and after Election Day

Getting a DSA-backed candidate into office is one step of the work. According to Alcock, they will now focus their energy on supporting.

Lopez in office and track her work.

“You need a movement that’s actually leading,” he said.

Alcock said Tucson DSA, for example, has spent more than three years seeking public control of the electricity service provided by Tucson Electric Power. Members have encouraged residents to write city officials and speak at council meetings. He said public control would give residents more say over their bills.

Alcock said the chapter looks at shared values and whether a campaign can win. Its local rules do not limit support to just Democrats, he said, though they strategize where to invest their capacity. 

“It takes a bunch of work to do these campaigns. And so usually we only want to do them if we think there's a good chance of winning,” he said. 

He said the recent election cycle had shown them that running on the Democratic ballot is more successful because Democratic voters align with their values. 

Alcock described “a lot of curiosity from community members” about socialism.

He said that sometimes the organization is made out to be “some big scary opaque organization,” but that their goals are clear and driven by giving working-class people more power in society. 

His own understanding of the movement grew while volunteering at a local soup kitchen, where people struggled to get by despite the wealth in the community.

“Everyone deserves human dignity, everyone deserves the same rights,” he said. “I didn’t know at the time that that would be called socialism.”

Residents can find meetings and ways to get involved through the chapter online. Joining DSA gives members a vote in decisions. People can join even if they are not U.S. citizens, according to the organization.

Miguel Torres is a Phoenix-based illustrator and independent journalist who covers courts, crime and the systems around them. He spent five years reporting for The Arizona Republic and USA TODAY Network.