Will Lawrence looks like the poster child for Republican attacks in the midterm elections.
They have pushed their attacks further, making warnings of a “communist menace” a centerpiece of the GOP’s midterms message. “It’s going to be a communist country if they win,” Trump said of Democrats during the GOP convention in September, where he invoked communism 15 times. Still, President Trump and many Republicans believe that tapping in to decades of deep-seated fears about socialism and communism will resonate with voters. “They dropped socialism. They went right for the big one.”
His administration has taken ownership stakes in private companies and he has promised a $5,000 check to every adult American citizen if Republicans retain control of Congress—a proposal estimated to cost more than $1 trillion. More than 60 Democratic candidates—including 10 sitting members of Congress—signed a pledge declaring their support for capitalism. Vice President JD Vance sees the rise of Democratic socialists as a useful foil for what appears an increasingly likely 2028 presidential bid and intends to emphasize the contrast should he run, according to people familiar with his thinking.
Across the country, candidates with socialist leanings—or who have associations with the DSA—have won primaries and are running competitive races.
an increasing number of them are embracing policies that call for greater government intervention to make life more affordable While some Americans still recoil at “socialist” or “communist” labels. “No, I’m not a member of the Chinese Communist Party,” Senate candidate James Talarico says in a new Texas ad that sounds like it belongs to another era. Races like his are testing whether Republicans can still make accusations of socialism a political liability. Populist ideas calling for more government intervention, including capping prescription drug prices, limiting rent increases and taxing billionaires, are gaining traction among Americans of all political persuasions. Others, especially young voters born long after the Cold War, now openly identify with the labels. The Republican Party under Trump, with its working class base, has itself grown a lot more populist. And some Republican political consultants worry that attacks on Democrats are undercut by Trump’s own embrace of government intervention in the economy. Even so, there are signs some Democrats are worried the aggressive rhetoric about communism could stick. The midterm elections could bring a new crop of Democratic socialists to Congress, expanding the movement’s influence within the party—and reshaping Republican calculations .
Yet Lawrence, who defeated two moderate candidates in the Democratic primary, is running neck-and-neck with Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Barrett in a swing district in one of the country’s most competitive House races. Lawrence has focused on pocketbook issues, opposition to data centers and the war with Iran, and the country’s widening income disparity.
