The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) 2025-2026 platform calls for a significant restructuring of the United States government, including the abolition of the Senate, the presidency, and the Supreme Court. While the organization requires its endorsed candidates to support these structural changes, several candidates have recently distanced themselves from these specific goals during their election campaigns.
The DSA platform, titled "Workers Deserve More," proposes replacing the current constitutional system with a "democratic socialist republic." The plan suggests eliminating the Electoral College and establishing a single, proportionally elected congressional chamber. Under this proposal, both the executive and judicial branches would be appointed by and subordinate to this new Congress. Ashik Siddique, DSA co-chair, stated that the Senate is "a very undemocratic institution" but told CNN that organizers are not currently asking voters to abolish the chamber "this year."
In Michigan's 7th District, Will Lawrence won a competitive Democratic primary in early August while running on the DSA platform with an endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Within a month, Lawrence allowed his DSA membership to lapse. Lawrence stated the move was intended to show he represents his constituents and was not related to his general election campaign against Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.). Lawrence declined to specify where his policies differ from the DSA platform, and according to group bylaws, he remains supported by the organization despite the expired membership because he has not renounced its core positions.
For an ordinary citizen, the adoption of this platform would result in the removal of the presidency as a separate branch of government and the elimination of the Senate, where two representatives currently serve each state. Instead, residents would see their federal representation consolidated into a single chamber where members are chosen through proportional election. These changes would fundamentally alter the legal rights and institutional checks currently established by the U.S. Constitution, though candidates like Lawrence have stated these issues are not their immediate focus when discussing local concerns like rent prices with voters.
The movement has set a precedent for candidates to maintain organizational support while minimizing public discussion of the group's structural goals. U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) have also sought to distance themselves from the DSA's specific agenda regarding the Senate and the Constitution. What happens next depends on the November 2026 general election results and whether candidates who ran with DSA support prioritize these constitutional changes once in office. The 2025-2026 platform remains the official policy of the organization through the next legislative cycle.