Seven Lessons From the Sawant Campaign
Kshama Sawant has shown how electoral and movement politics can grow together.
In 2013 Kshama Sawant, a member of Socialist Alternative, surprised many by winning a seat on the Seattle City Council. Several weeks ago, with Sawant in full reelection campaign mode (the city’s primary is tomorrow), I spent ten days in Seattle interviewing politicians, labor officials, and business leaders. Several key lessons emerged for those on the Left who are interested in winning local elections, while also building broader movements.
1. The labor movement can be engaged.
Most — though not all — unions kept Sawant and Socialist Alternative at arms length in her first two campaigns. But after two years in office and a historic minimum-wage victory, the major unions in Seattle are providing her with significant resources, and individual labor leaders are part of her fundraising effort.
More than one labor official expressed the sentiment that having a socialist to your left can be irksome, but that the benefits far outweigh the negatives. And nearly every labor leader acknowledges the basic fact that explains why nearly the entire Seattle labor movement now supports Sawant: she fights for working people.
This article is for subscribers only. Please login or subscribe to access our full archives and beautiful print and digital magazine starting at just $3 a month.