The Squad Is Poised to Double

This Could Hold the Next House Hostage

The far-left “Squad” that entered Congress in 2018 as a noisy quartet is on track to become a substantial voting bloc after Tuesday’s midterms. Election analysts and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) figures say the core group could grow from its current seven members to as many as 16, with a broader circle of allied progressives pushing the total closer to two dozen. In a narrowly divided House, that bloc would possess real leverage to force votes, block leadership rules, and extract concessions.

This is how communists work. They worm their way into the fabric of power and then they strike.

From Fringe to Floor Power

The original Squad—Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)—has already expanded to include Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Summer Lee (D-Pa.). Several primary winners in deep-blue districts are now expected to join them.

Likely or near-certain additions include:



• Darializa Avila Chevalier (N.Y.-13), a DSA member and former Mamdani organizer who unseated longtime Rep. Adriano Espaillat. She has pledged to abolish ICE, support Medicare for All, back the Block the Bombs Act to cut military aid to Israel, and pursue public housing and free legal representation for immigrants. In past interviews she has stated she opposes any deportations.

• Melat Kiros (Colo.-01), a 29-year-old lawyer who defeated 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette. She supports abolishing ICE, Medicare for All, federal rent control, and a full arms embargo on Israel. She has described the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks as “inevitable” in the context of occupation.

• Claire Valdez (N.Y.-07), who has called for nationwide rent control, demilitarizing the border, and ensuring gender-affirming care is covered under Medicare for All.

• Chris Rabb (Pa.-03), a self-described democratic socialist who favors government-run grocery stores modeled on proposals associated with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

• Others frequently mentioned: Donavan McKinney (Mich.-13), Adam Hamawy (N.J.-12), Frederick Haynes III (Texas-30), and Brad Lander (N.Y.-10).

A Brookings Institution review and DSA’s own tracking show a sharp rise in socialist candidates, from roughly 90 in 2025 to 338 this cycle. Justice Democrats, the group that helped launch Ocasio-Cortez, has also backed multiple winners.

The Policy Menu

Many of the incoming members share a set of priorities that go well beyond standard Democratic positions:

• Abolishing ICE and expanding pathways to citizenship, including free lawyers for people in the country illegally.

• Medicare for All, which critics note would largely replace private insurance and, in some versions, explicitly cover gender-affirming care.

• Nationwide or federal rent control and large-scale public housing construction.

• Ending or sharply reducing military aid to Israel.

• Eliminating cash bail and, in the DSA’s broader platform language, steps toward “fully abolishing the police and prison system.”

• Government-operated or heavily subsidized grocery stores in some districts.

Nineteen of 22 lawmakers on one progressive watch list back some form of Medicare for All. Several have also endorsed the Green New Deal and higher taxes on high earners.

While some of these items may appear to make sense on the surface, the ramifications would be devastating. The issue we have is the lack of long-term thinking. The rest of the world thinks in terms of decades. We look at most quarter by quarter, but even day to day.

Leverage in a Thin Majority

The practical impact depends on the size of any Democratic majority. If Democrats hold only a slim edge above 218 seats, an expanded Squad could withhold votes on House rules packages, force floor votes on amendments, and bargain for committee assignments. Republicans have described the prospect as “communist wannabes” holding likely Speaker Hakeem Jeffries “hostage” until he advances their agenda. A former Democratic leadership aide told the New York Post the group would “cause problems” and “try to dominate the narrative.”

Elizabeth Pipko, a former RNC spokesperson, argued the issue is not only the raw number of members but the increased influence they would wield inside the party. Stu Smith of the Manhattan Institute pointed to the DSA’s “Workers Deserve More” platform, which calls for defunding the Department of Defense and abolishing police and prisons, as evidence of a more radical cohort than earlier progressive waves.

Implications for Leadership and the Broader Party

High-profile wins would strengthen Ocasio-Cortez’s standing and could encourage further presidential speculation around her. They would also test whether mainstream Democrats who campaigned on inflation and energy costs can keep the party’s legislative focus on those issues. In safe Democratic districts, primary voters have repeatedly rewarded candidates who prioritize ICE abolition, Israel policy, and expansive social programs over more incremental approaches.

The result would not automatically produce sweeping legislation. Narrow majorities and Senate dynamics limit what any faction can pass. What it would change is the internal bargaining power of the leftmost wing and the political price Democratic leaders would pay to keep the House organized and functional. Once embedded, the pressure to move the agenda accelerates.