Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY) acknowledged Friday that Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates running as Democrats in New York are probably going to win their races — but she made clear she intends to fight to keep the party from drifting further left.
Appearing on NewsNation’s The Hill, Gillen was asked by host Blake Burman whether she wants those DSA candidates to win their primary and general election contests under the Democratic banner. Her answer was blunt about the electoral math, even as she voiced concerns about the party’s direction.
“Well, look, if you look at some of the districts where they won, they’re super-blue districts. So, I don’t think there’s much of a chance that they’re not coming to Congress,” Gillen said. “But I do hope that moderates like me will hold them in line and make sure that we do not see our party shift to the left.”
A centrist voice in a shifting caucus
Gillen, who has positioned herself as a moderate and centrist since arriving in the House, underscored her willingness to buck progressive tendencies within her own party. She pointed to her early criticism of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and some of his policies and statements — noting she was among the first Democrats to speak out publicly against him.
“I am strongly a moderate, I’m strongly a centrist. As you mentioned, I was one of the first Democrats to speak out against some of the policies of the New York City mayor and some of his troubling statements,” she said. “And I will continue to be a moderate and a centrist going forward in the House.”
The remarks come amid ongoing intraparty tensions between the Democratic establishment and its more progressive wing. DSA-backed candidates have scored a series of primary victories in deep-blue New York districts, setting the stage for a potentially more progressive bloc in the next Congress.
Gillen’s comments suggest that while she accepts the likely outcome in those races, she sees an important role for centrist Democrats to counterbalance the leftward pull — particularly on economic, criminal justice, and foreign policy issues where the DSA and mainstream Democrats often diverge.
The interview is the latest sign of a broader struggle within the Democratic Party over its ideological identity heading into the next election cycle. With primary season underway in several states, the question of how much influence the DSA and allied groups wield is becoming a central theme in Democratic contests nationwide.
Gillen stopped short of endorsing the DSA candidates, but her framing — that their victories are all but assured in certain districts — reflects a pragmatic acknowledgment of the political landscape. Her hope, she said, is that centrists like her can help shape what those new members do once they arrive in Washington.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/09/05/dem-rep-gillen-on-if-she-wants-dsa-nominees-to-win-theyll-probably-win-need-to-hold-them-in-line/