Full Breakdown
Aber Kawas Secures Democratic Nomination for Queens State Senate Seat in DSA-Led Primary Sweep
6/30/2026, 10:02:11 PM
Primary Victory Details
Aber Kawas, endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), won the Democratic nomination for the New York State Senate seat representing Queens in the primaries held last week. She defeated State Assemblymember Steven Raga, a fellow progressive, by a margin of 20 percentage points, delivering a decisive victory in the borough’s Democratic contest.
Candidate Background and Policy Platform
Born and raised in New York to Palestinian parents, Kawas centered her campaign on a slate of progressive policies. Her platform called for expanding affordable housing, establishing universal health care, reforming immigration policy, increasing public-transit investment, advancing climate-action measures, and opposing U.S. support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza. These issues formed the core messaging presented to primary voters.
DSA Organizational Growth and Primary Slate Dominance
The DSA’s slate of candidates secured victories across multiple races in the New York primaries, illustrating the organization’s expanding electoral reach. Over the past decade, DSA membership rose from roughly 5,000 to more than 100,000 individuals organized in 200 local chapters nationwide, reflecting a tenfold increase in its activist base.
Election Data and Membership Statistics
Kawas’s 20-point margin over Raga quantifies a clear preference among Democratic primary voters in Queens. The DSA now reports a national membership exceeding 100,000, up from approximately 5,000 a decade earlier, and maintains 200 active chapters across the United States. These figures underscore the organization’s rapid growth and electoral momentum.
Implications for New York State Politics
The primary outcome adds a DSA-affiliated candidate to the roster of Democratic nominees in New York, expanding the representation of socialist-identified candidates in the state's legislative contests. Kawas’s platform includes positions on housing, health care, transit, climate action, and foreign-policy stances, which will be part of the policy discussion among Democratic candidates.
Official Statements & Responses
Kawas framed the victory as evidence that voters are seeking expanded government social services and a hopeful political message. She described her campaign’s emphasis on providing the best possible assistance to struggling residents as non-threatening and as a key factor behind the landslide win.
Verbatim Quotes
> “That is not a threat to people. That is a really hopeful message that so many Americans and so many people are looking for, and that is why we were able to win in these landslide victories.” — Aber Kawas, DSA candidate
