President Donald Trump has announced that he will meet with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the coming days.

“We want to see everything work out well for New York,” the president told reporters on Nov. 16.

It’s more likely that Trump, who has repeatedly referred to the 34-year-old state legislator as a communist, is just looking for ways to rage-bait the far right and fearmonger about the “left-wing radicals” allegedly taking over the Democratic Party.

But Mamdani ‒ a democratic socialist, not a communist ‒ is just one of the people reforming the Democratic Party. That’s a good thing: As more young people begin to unlearn their biases about socialism and become skeptical of capitalism, the Democratic Party will have to adjust its tent to fit all these opinions.

Democratic socialists aren't new, but they're gaining ground

Mamdani isn’t the only democratic socialist who won their election. On Nov. 13, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell conceded to Katie Wilson, a democratic socialist who ran on affordability.

“The working people of our city are tired," Wilson said in her acceptance speech. "They are ready for something new, something more hopeful and just and equitable."

Mamdani and Wilson are the newest additions to a handful of democratic socialists who hold elected office in this country. Lawmakers like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, have increased the ideology’s visibility in recent years.

Mamdani isn’t the first democratic socialist to represent New York City. He’s not even the first democratic socialist to become mayor. David Dinkins, the first Black mayor of New York City, was a democratic socialist.

In part, this is due to the Democratic Socialists of America. The political party has risen in prominence in recent years. This, combined with polling that suggests voters ages 18 to 34 are more accepting of socialism, is not a bad thing.

You don’t have to agree with socialism’s principles to see that having a range of ideas is important for the survival of the Democratic Party and the country. Based on the party's recent wins, it appears that Democratic candidates do best when they are delivering a message of support for the working class and affordability, making socialism a natural companion for the party.

Who's afraid of a little democratic socialism? The Republican Party.

What’s clear is that many Republicans are absolutely terrified of the rise of democratic socialism in the United States and are using every opportunity to make Mamdani look like an extremist.

The New York Post set the tone with an unhinged front page following Mamdani's election reading, “On your Marx, get set, Zo!” and declaring New York "The Red Apple."

"(Mamdani's) brand of Marxism is truly a bellwether for the Democrats nationwide,” U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a news release, erroneously conflating Marxism and socialism. “We’ve pointed out that other major metropolitan areas in the country are facing the same threat with candidates similar to Mamdani."

House Republicans even introduced the MAMDANI Act, which would restrict federal funding to New York City while Mamdani is mayor.

"If New Yorkers want communism, we should let them have their wish and not artificially prop them up with our successful capitalist system,” said Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Georgia, who introduced the bill.

Despite the hysteria and the headlines declaring socialist victories across the country in November, democratic socialists have a ways to go before they have a strong foothold in American politics or are even considered socially acceptable.

The party's biggest competition seems to come from within, requiring socialists to go up against establishment Democratic politicians who have the institutional favor and financial campaign backing to match. In Minneapolis, incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey won a third term in office on Election Day, defeating democratic socialist Omar Fateh.

While Mamdani and Wilson’s wins are good news for socialists and progressives, it’s going to take time for people to get used to democratic socialism as something that isn’t going to destroy our society, let alone something that can help our country become a more equitable place.

I implore Democrats to put aside their fears of being "too left" and embrace the socialists who want to be part of their party.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who's afraid of democratic socialism? Everyone but voters, apparently. | Opinion

Reporting by Sara Pequeño, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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