A Socialist Wave in Chicago
Chicago socialists cleaned house in last night's municipal elections, winning as many as six socialist city council members. The city's left has a historic opportunity to push back years of gentrification, police brutality, and austerity.
Socialist Chicago city council candidate Rossana Rodriguez hugs campaign volunteer Ken Barrios. Rodriguez’s race is too close to call, but she ended the night sixty-four votes ahead of incumbent Deb Mell. Socialist city council member Carlos Rosa (cheering, left), who won his race by twenty points in February, looks on. Rossana for 33 / Facebook
A red wave has crashed into Chicago.
After last night’s runoff elections, Chicago’s fifty-member city council will have at least five, and likely six, socialists who have committed to establish and join a Socialist Caucus. They will be joined by several other new left-liberal aldermen who will help make the body’s Progressive Caucus one of its largest organized groups.
These victories, in which citywide organizations like United Working Families (UWF) and the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America (CDSA) played a key role, mark a sea change in Chicago. They are a rare opportunity for progressive unions, radical social movements, and resurgent socialists to demand the working class have a say in Chicago.
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