Democratic Socialist Defeats Providence Mayor in Primary Race

Democratic socialist and state Rep. David Morales has defeated Democrat Providence, Rhode Island, Mayor Brett Smiley in the mayoral primary race, making another win for the far-left Democratic socialist movement in the country.

Decision Desk HQ and NBC News are projecting a victory for Morales in Tuesday’s primary against Smiley, which will put him up against Republican Dave Talan in November’s election. However, with this primary victory, he is widely viewed as the presumptive winner, given City Hall’s status as a solid Democrat stronghold in the state.

“I’m running for mayor because I believe government can do so much more to make our lives easier,” Morales said during a debate against Smiley, previewing his intention of building a “Providence for all.”

Smiley, meanwhile, had described his opponent as “part of a national movement” who is “not interested in actually solving problems for Providence residents, which is what I’m focused on.” Morales shot back by casting Smiley as part of the “status quo,” which he said is not working.

Notably, Morales’ platform includes prioritizing public schools, taxing “corporate polluters,” capping rent hikes, investing in a “green future” due to his fear of climate change, and protecting illegal immigrants. In fact, his campaign platform states that Morales will actively protect such lawbreakers:

Donald Trump has given ICE free rein to terrorize our neighborhoods through the enforcement of harsh immigration policies, the militarization of ICE agents, and the rollback of due process. … As Mayor, David will protect all our immigrant neighbors by being openly transparent about ICE sightings in our city. Over the last several months, there has been a significant increase in ICE sightings in Providence. Unlike Brett Smiley, David will not ignore this crisis. As Mayor, David will establish a dedicated task force made up of frontline community organizations and trusted neighborhood leaders to share accurate information on ICE sightings and develop plans to protect our neighbors. This task force will work hand-in-hand with families, schools, and local businesses to make sure Providence is a community where our immigrant neighbors feel safe and supported.

The rise of another socialist is not new, as he follows in the footsteps of New York City’s socialist Muslim Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other candidates who have won their primaries across the country, including DSA member Angie Nixon in Florida and Melat Kiros in Colorado.

Recent polling indicates that a quarter of Americans view Democrats as socialist, and more than half of Democrats hold a more positive view of socialism as opposed to capitalism. Further, 62 percent of Democrats say they would vote for a candidate who described themselves as a “Democratic Socialist.”