Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, has issued a warning to the Democratic Party, asserting that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is exploiting the party as a temporary means to advance a radical agenda.
Cuellar stated that DSA candidates often conceal their more extreme policy proposals behind accessible talking points on issues like affordability and housing to secure Democratic nominations. "They're trying to use the safe Democratic seats to run in. And they also know that the Democratic Party is inadequate, but they're using us or trying to use the Democratic Party as a vehicle so later they can set up their own platform," Cuellar said.
He urged fellow Democrats to explicitly disavow the DSA's positions, which he characterized as radical. These include proposals such as restructuring the Supreme Court, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), advocating for open borders, and eliminating prisons. "As a Democrat, I reject what the DSA is doing. I read their platform, and it is radical," Cuellar stated.
Cuellar noted that these contentious issues are often downplayed by Democratic socialist candidates during campaigns. Instead, they focus on concerns such as housing costs and economic affordability to gain voter support. "They’re trying to use the Democratic Party. They're not talking about those radical positions. They're talking about affordability and housing, things that sound good, but we as Democrats, we reject that radical faction," he said.
He shared personal experience of facing primary challenges from socialists, citing over $20 million spent against him in two previous primaries by the DSA and Justice Democrats. Cuellar stated he won these contests by emphasizing strong border security and support for the oil and gas industry. "I defeated them and what I did, I stood for Border Patrol, I stood strong border security, I stood up for oil and gas in a Democratic primary. And guess what? The Democratic voters in my district said yes and said no to the radical position," he recounted.
Cuellar's remarks come as several Democratic socialist-backed candidates have achieved electoral victories. In Colorado, Melat Kiros, a candidate supported by the DSA, won a surprise victory against longtime Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette. Additionally, in New York, far-left candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is associated with Democratic socialists, also won their elections. These included Darializa Avila Chevalier, who unseated Rep. Adriano Espaillat, and Brad Lander, who defeated Rep. Dan Goldman.