Why we Have to Defeat Republicans in California

June was a great month for socialists and progressives across the country. Congratulations to all the candidates who won their elections and to all the people who worked to build support for them. The victory of the socialist candidates further demonstrates that the word “socialism” is no longer as politically unacceptable as it once was, as people are continually worried about their economic future.

People are frustrated with the Democrats. Why are people frustrated? Because Democrats have not been able to enact more progressive policies and defend the things, like Obamacare, they have won. And why have they not been able to win more? Because the Republican Party has too much power and they prevent more significant wins. 

Would we blame the socialists for not winning more? Democrats and Republicans have power and prevent us from winning more. Should we be frustrated with socialists? Should we give up on socialism because it has not been more successful?

In most circumstances across the United States, establishment Democrats are the best option for the people to choose. The Republican Party is the main enemy of progress toward freedom and equality and is a dangerous threat to socialism. So in those cases where an establishment Democrat is the best option, we should support them. 

We—socialists, Marxists, leaders of the working class—must be able to determine the main enemy at any particular time. Now, that enemy is the fascist movement within the right wing and the lackey Republican Party that enables it. The fascists threaten the progressive movement's existence and ability to make people's lives better and gain political influence. We should be part of a popular front that is in the process of forming, opposing the fascist movement.

Being part of a popular front means that we unite with forces to our right against our primary and shared enemy, the far-right. Participating in a popular front demonstrates our commitment to working on winning what's realistically possible and best for the people.

By participating in a popular front against the Republican Party we can make gains for socialism. We will meet people and explain socialist ideas and policies and hear what will win them over to our ideas. They will get to know us and talk to us and hear us out because we are working with them and doing what's best for the people.

I've written before about the critical importance of defeating Republicans in the competitive districts in California. Since then, the primaries were held. Here are the Democratic Party candidates that won and who we should support:

- CA-13 (Lean-Dem): Adam Gray

- CA-22 (Toss-Up): Randy Villegas

- CA-45 (Lean-Dem): Derek Tran

- CA-48 (Toss-Up): Marni von Wilpert

Some of these candidates may be more or less progressive, none of them call themselves socialists, but they are our allies in the struggle against our main enemy and that is why we should support them. And just like when our preferred candidates win primaries and we want the whole Democratic Party to unite behind them, the same goes for when our not preferred candidates win, we should still lend our support. That's what it means to be part of a popular front to fight the far-right. 

We live in a very conservative country, and the more successful socialism is, the more it will face dangerous and violent backlash. We have a long road ahead of us and we should not rush. Let's not be naive about the political conditions. 

It will be some time before socialists are one of the major political forces in the United States and that will depend on the expansion of the socialist movement's ability to communicate clear ideas and win people over to these ideas. And as we develop those ideas the Republican Party will continue to be the main political force opposed to us. So let's be honest and humble and join forces with our allies against the dangerous far-right. 

Finally, a poem, for what we want to avoid.

A Poem for the Year 2026

(A few years before the Democratic Socialists of America was declared a Domestic Terrorist Organization)

The anarchist asked the left-socialist

how can you participate in electoral politics?

The government is fascist

just a tool of the bourgeoisie to oppress the people.

The left-socialist asked the socialists of the popular front

how can you support the establishment Democrats?

They are fascists

nearly as bad as the Republicans.

Not many years later the fascist wing

of the Republican Party consolidated power.

The anarchist, left-socialist and popular front socialist

(if they were foolish enough to raise their voices)

were picked up from their homes

and brought to a detention center

where finally they all sat

organized, side-by-side

------

Fortunately for us,

We haven't reached this yet.

We can set down our dogmas

We can work together.

We can make wise decisions

And apply them with our hearts.

The fascist movement

will be stopped

by the left

united.

I want to hear what you all think. Please reach out to me at lealfaro@protonmail.com with any comments and if you want to work together.