In the arc of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Michael Harrington laid the foundational stones in 1982, envisioning a democratic socialism embedded within American politics. Bernie Sanders weaponized it through his insurgent presidential runs, galvanizing a mass movement. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made it viral, leveraging social media and charisma to mainstream progressive ideals. Rashida Tlaib infused it with a combative fist, confronting power head-on. Then came Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman, who, in the eyes of critics and observers alike, pushed the organization to the edge, and over a cliff. As DSA-endorsed members of “The Squad,” their rapid ascent in 2020 and 2022 embodied the radical wing’s momentum, but their dramatic falls in 2024 primaries exposed vulnerabilities in sustaining power amid controversies and shifting coalitions. This essay delves into their trajectories, policy advocacy, scandals, electoral defeats, and the implications for DSA’s future, spotlighting how their stories test the limits of rage-fueled politics in reforming American culture toward equity and justice.

Ascent from Activism to Congress

Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman’s paths to Congress were forged in grassroots activism, aligning seamlessly with DSA’s emphasis on working-class and marginalized voices. Bush, a nurse and pastor from St. Louis, rose to prominence as a leader in the 2014 Ferguson protests following the police killing of Michael Brown. Her experiences on the streets, facing tear gas and arrests, propelled her into politics. In 2020, with DSA endorsement, she unseated long-time incumbent Rep. Lacy Clay in Missouri’s 1st District, becoming the first Black woman to represent the state in Congress. Bowman, a former Bronx middle school principal and educator, drew from his background in public education to challenge establishment Democrats. In 2020, he ousted Rep. Eliot Engel in New York’s 16th District, also with DSA backing, and secured re-election in 2022.

Their platforms echoed DSA priorities: defunding the police, Medicare for All, and rejecting corporate PAC money. Bowman’s endorsement by Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2020 signaled socialism’s growing acceptance beyond the fringes, as even mainstream progressives aligned with the cause. In Congress, they didn’t just vote left, they performed it, with Bowman known for impassioned floor speeches and Bush leading chants like “No justice, no peace” during protests on Capitol grounds.

Controversies That Undermined Credibility

Their tenures were marred by high-profile scandals that fueled perceptions of hypocrisy and recklessness. In September 2023, Bowman pulled a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building during a spending vote, initially claiming it was an accident while rushing to vote. He pled guilty to a misdemeanor, paid a $1,000 fine, and faced House censure in December 2023. The incident looped endlessly in media, damaging his image.

Bush faced scrutiny for spending over $570,000 in campaign funds on private security between 2021 and 2023, more than most members, while advocating to defund the police. She justified it by citing threats, but critics labeled it hypocritical, especially as her husband, Cortney Merritts, received payments for security services. The Justice Department investigated her campaign’s security expenditures in 2024. Compounding this, in March 2025, Merritts was indicted on 11 counts, including wire fraud and theft of government funds, for allegedly submitting fake payrolls to secure over $20,000 in PPP loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Defense arguments of selective prosecution did little to stem the fallout.

Primary Defeats and Coalition Fractures

The 2024 primaries proved catastrophic. Pro-Israel groups, led by AIPAC’s super PAC, spent a combined $23 million to unseat them, targeting their criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Bowman lost to George Latimer by 17 points in June, while Bush fell to Wesley Bell by 22 points in August. Losses among Black moderates, Jewish voters, and working-class homeowners revealed fractures in the multiracial coalitions DSA aimed to build. The Squad, once a symbol of progressive power, was halved, raising questions about DSA’s ability to hold rather than seize influence.

DSA’s Reckoning and Emerging Figures

At the August 2025 DSA National Convention in Chicago, delegates grappled with these defeats amid debates on strategy, with younger members waving Palestinian flags and pushing for a new party. The rage of the late 2010s had crested and crashed, but hope flickered in figures like Zohran Mamdani. The 33-year-old Palestinian-American DSA state legislator and former rapper not only survived 2024’s backlash but won re-election unopposed in New York’s Assembly District 36. By November 2025, Mamdani’s mayoral victory in New York City marked a potential turning point, blending fury with governance.

Conclusion: From Fury to Sustainable Power?

Bush and Bowman proved DSA could win with unbridled fury, channeling the energy of movements like Black Lives Matter into electoral gains. Yet their falls underscore the challenges of governing with it, as controversies and external forces eroded support. In a polarized America, their saga questions whether DSA’s radical wing is destined to burn bright but brief, or evolve into enduring reform. As Mamdani steps forward, the movement’s future hinges on translating rage into resilient coalitions, potentially reshaping American culture toward true democratic socialism.

Charley Starr is dedicated to reforming American culture through honest dialogue, patriotism, and common sense. Support my work by becoming a free subscriber.

Sources:

This section provides key references for the topics in Bush & Bowman: The Squads Fall. I’ve prioritized authoritative, primary, or well-sourced materials (e.g., official DSA sites, major news outlets, and government records). All sources are official reports, data tables, or credible analyses used to inform the essay’s key statistics and claims.

Cori Bush’s Background and 2020 Election

* “Protest leader Cori Bush ousts 20-year U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay in Missouri” - PBS - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/protest-leader-cori-bush-ousts-20-year-u-s-rep-lacy-clay-in-missouri(Published: August 5, 2020).

* “Progressive challenger Cori Bush beats Rep. Lacy Clay in primary” - POLITICO - https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/05/progressive-challenger-beats-lacy-clay-in-missouri-primary-391662(Published: August 5, 2020).

* “Cori Bush - Wikipedia” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cori_Bush(No specific date listed).

* “Cori Bush Becomes First Black Congresswoman In Missouri History” - St. Louis Public Radio - https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2020-11-03/cori-bush-becomes-first-black-congresswoman-in-missouri-history(Published: November 3, 2020).

Jamaal Bowman’s Background and 2020 Election

* “Bowman Wins NY Primary, Ousting Engel From Longtime Seat in Congress” - Courthouse News - https://www.courthousenews.com/bowman-wins-ny-primary-ousting-engel-from-longtime-seat-in-congress/(Published: July 17, 2020).

* “Former NYC School Principal Jamaal Bowman, Running Unopposed, Elected to Congress After Surprise Primary Win” - The 74 - https://www.the74million.org/former-nyc-school-principal-jamaal-bowman-running-unopposed-elected-to-congress-after-surprise-primary-win/(Published: November 3, 2020).

DSA Policies (Defund Police, Medicare for All, No Corporate PACs)

* “Abolition Working Group” - Democratic Socialists of America - https://www.dsausa.org/working-groups/abolition-working-group/(No specific date listed).

* “Medicare for All Organizing Guide” - Democratic Socialists of America - https://medicareforall.dsausa.org/organizing-guide/medicare-for-all-faq(No specific date listed).

* “A Blueprint for Defunding the Police” - Young Democratic Socialists of America - https://y.dsausa.org/the-activist/a-blueprint-for-defunding-the-police/(Published: February 3, 2021).

* “Why We Fight for Medicare for All” - The Socialist Call - https://socialistcall.com/2018/10/26/why-we-fight-for-medicare-for-all/(Published: October 26, 2018).

Elizabeth Warren’s Endorsement of Bowman (2020)

* “Warren endorses Jamaal Bowman over Eliot Engel in progressive primary” - POLITICO - https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/16/elizabeth-warren-endorses-jamaal-bowman-over-eliot-engel-322110(Published: June 16, 2020).

* “Elizabeth Warren to endorse progressive challenger Jamaal Bowman” - CNN - https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/16/politics/elizabeth-warren-jamaal-bowman(Published: June 16, 2020).

Jamaal Bowman’s Fire Alarm Incident (2023)

* “House votes to censure Rep. Jamaal Bowman for pulling fire alarm” - NPR - https://www.npr.org/2023/12/08/1218095236/house-censure-rep-jamaal-bowman-fire-alarm(Published: December 8, 2023).

* “House censures Rep. Jamaal Bowman for falsely pulling fire alarm” - Malliotakis House Site - http://malliotakis.house.gov/media/in-the-news/house-censures-rep-jamaal-bowman-falsely-pulling-fire-alarm(Published: December 7, 2023).

* “Rep. Bowman charged with pulling fire alarm in Congress” - CNN - https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/25/politics/bowman-charged-pulling-fire-alarm(Published: October 25, 2023).

* “Jamaal Bowman censured for Capitol Hill alarm incident” - Axios - https://www.axios.com/2023/12/07/house-censure-jamaal-bowman-fire-alarm(Published: December 7, 2023).

Cori Bush’s Private Security Spending

* “Cori Bush explains her position on ‘defund the police’ while paying for private security” - CBS News - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cori-bush-defund-the-police-private-security-response/(Published: August 6, 2021).

* “’Defund Police’ Squad Members Are Biggest Spenders on Private Security” - Manhattan Institute - https://manhattan.institute/article/defund-police-squad-members-are-biggest-spenders-on-private-security(Published: September 14, 2021).

Cortney Merritts’ Indictment (2025)

* “Husband of former Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush charged with COVID fraud” - Missouri Independent - https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/husband-of-former-missouri-congresswoman-cori-bush-charged-with-covid-fraud/(Published: March 20, 2025).

* “Indictment” - U.S. Department of Justice - https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/media/1394021/dl(Published: March 20, 2025).

2024 Primary Defeats and AIPAC Spending

* “Pro-Israel PAC notches striking electoral victories with Bush, Bowman losses” - The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/08/aipiac-cori-bush-primary/(Published: August 8, 2024).

* “Pro-Israel groups spent big to oust two Squad members in primaries” - ABC News - https://abcnews.go.com/538/pro-israel-groups-spent-big-oust-squad-members/story?id=113675889(Published: September 17, 2024).

* “AIPAC leads unprecedented $14.5 million campaign against Bowman in NY primary” - The Times of Israel - https://www.timesofisrael.com/aipac-leads-unprecedented-14-5-million-campaign-against-bowman-in-ny-primary/(Published: June 22, 2024).

DSA National Convention (August 2025, Chicago)

* “2025 DSA National Convention” - Democratic Socialists of America -

https://convention2025.dsausa.org/ (No specific date listed).

* “2025 DSA National Convention” - Democratic Socialists of America - https://www.dsausa.org/convention2025/(No specific date listed).

Zohran Mamdani’s Background, 2024 Re-election, and 2025 Mayoral Victory

* “Zohran Mamdani wins: Who are the Democratic Socialists of America?” - Al Jazeera - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/5/zohran-mamdani-wins-who-are-the-democratic-socialists-of-america(Published: November 5, 2025).

* “Mamdani Makes History With Victory in Mayor’s Race” - THE CITY - https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/11/04/mamdani-cuomo-nyc-mayor-general-election-results/(Published: November 4, 2025).