A former longtime member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has expressed concern over the organization’s shift toward more radical positions and its growing influence within the Democratic Party ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Jake Altman, 40, who joined the DSA in 2013 attracted by its support for social democratic policies such as fair pay, improved working conditions, and affordable healthcare, characterized the group as having been overtaken by a younger faction focused on defunding the police, divesting from Israel, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Speaking from his home in Michigan, Altman warned that candidates backed by the DSA or aligned with it have won Democratic nominations for key Senate races in Michigan and Maine, multiple House seats across the country, and several mayoral and state assembly positions. Altman said these candidates appeal particularly to highly engaged and often affluent Democratic primary voters, whom he described as increasingly radicalized. He voiced his apprehension about what he referred to as an “underbelly” within the movement.

One notable figure supported by DSA members is Abdul el-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan. While not officially a member, el-Sayed shares many positions with the DSA and received significant grassroots support during a highly competitive primary. Altman described some of el-Sayed’s most dedicated supporters as engaging in intimidating tactics, citing an incident where activists disrupted an event planned by el-Sayed’s opponent, Haley Stevens, and another where Stevens was followed and threatened by an activist over her stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. El-Sayed publicly condemned the threatening behavior and called for immediate cessation of such actions.

Altman suggested the intense focus on Palestine among these activists stems from what he sees as hostility toward the American political system. He warned against allowing such extremist elements to gain power, calling them “really dangerous.”

Founded in 1982, the DSA initially brought together a broad coalition of traditional social democrats, trade unionists, anti-war socialists, and feminists. Altman noted that when he joined, the group appeared moderate compared to other left-wing organizations, describing it as a space for activists from the 1960s and 1970s. However, he said an influx of younger, more radical intellectuals—organized as the Left Caucus from 2014 onward—transformed the organization’s direction, a shift accelerated by the 2016 Bernie Sanders presidential campaign and the 2018 election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Altman pointed to specific moments that solidified his disillusionment, including the DSA’s support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro following a controversial 2019 election rather than backing opposition leader Juan Guaidó, and its condemnation of the U.S. and NATO’s role in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The organization called for an end to what it described as imperialist expansionism by the West, a stance Altman viewed as a betrayal.

Following these developments, Altman resigned his membership, stating that the group had “gone completely off the deep end” and was no longer an organization he could support. The DSA continues to pursue its strategy of influencing the Democratic Party from within, while the debate over its role and direction remains a subject of contention within left-leaning political circles.