Portland’s Democratic Socialists Chapter Received Sharp Criticism From the First Candidate It Ever Endorsed

In recent years, the Democratic Socialists of America have assumed a prominent role in Portland politics. The left-wing organization's meetings regularly attract more attendees than the Multnomah County Republicans. Some observers have wondered how that movement would look in action—like knocking on doors for a candidate.

So far, it's not looking great.

Last year, Portland's chapter of the DSA endorsed its first candidate for elected office. But in December, that candidate, Paige Kreisman, thrashed the organization for failing to adequately support her insurgent campaign.

"This is really just a social club with a socialist aesthetic," she told organization leaders, according to a copy of the minutes from December's DSA steering committee meeting, obtained by WW.

The source of Kreisman's frustration? She overestimated the number of DSA volunteers that would turn out to help her campaign. Kreisman is running to unseat state Rep. Rob Nosse (D-Portland), who voted last year to cut retirement benefits to public employees. The DSA's selection of Kreisman for its first official endorsement was an opportunity for the left-wing organization to display its might in an election campaign.

But in fact, Kreisman is no longer coordinating her campaign with the DSA. She instead decided to work with the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The DSA and Kreisman say there is a technical reason they can't coordinate: federal and state election law bars the DSA from running its independent expenditure campaign to support Sanders, and at the same time coordinating with Kreisman, who in turn is coordinating with Sanders.

Kreisman is now working to mend fences with the DSA. "Portland DSA still supports us," she says, "and their members are a huge, people-powered force behind our field program."

But the critique of Portland DSA recorded in its minutes raises questions about the leftist organization's ability to gain practical power even in progressive Portland. The organization has ambitions for a tax on the wealthy to fund universal preschool.

DSA co-chair Olivia Katbi Smith says her organization already has a record of making change.

"We supported worker organizing at Grand Central Bakery, Amazon and elsewhere, and we exposed and ended a contract between the Portland Police Bureau and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement," she says. "We continue to organize for real change in our community."