Socialist Workers Party of the District of Columbia

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The Socialist Workers Party of the District of Columbia (SWP-DC) is a small far-left party founded in 1970. It follows Trotskyist ideas and focuses on anti-war work, Black liberation, and women’s liberation. The party wants DC to become a state and to end Congress’s control over the district’s laws and finances. It aims to replace capitalism with a socialist economy and to organize society so that the many benefit, not just the wealthy.

Key goals and ideas
- DC statehood and ending congressional control over DC affairs
- A socialist, democratically planned economy
- Strong emphasis on workers’ rights, racial and gender equality
- Policies like free childcare and access to contraception and abortion
- Preferential hiring for women and other pro-women/anti-war stances

Notable campaigns and results (highlights)
- 1970: James E. Harris ran for Delegate to the U.S. House with a program on minimum wage, shorter workweeks, limits on prices, a high tax on incomes over $25,000, and ending the Vietnam War. He also emphasized Black community leadership and democratic planning.
- Late 1970s: Several candidates ran for DC Board of Education, Mayor, and other offices, including Keith Jones, Omari Musa, Erich Martel, Nan Bailey, and James Harris. Most received small shares of the vote.
- 1976-1978: Dorothy Hawkinson (Council at-large) received about 10,256 votes in 1976, which led to the party being deemed a major party in June 1978. However, no SWP candidate in the 1978 general election reached 7,500 votes, so the party reverted to minor-party status.
- 1980s-1990s: Candidates such as Glenn B. White (Council at-large and later Mayor in 1982), Deborah Lazar (Mayor in 1986), Ike Nahem (Mayor in 1990), and Sam Manuel (shadow senator in 1990; delegate in 1992 and 1996) ran with the SWP, usually getting around 1% of the vote.
- 1990s-2000s: Other campaigns included Emily Fitzsimmons (Council chair in 1993), Mary Martin (Council chair in 1997), Antonio Grillo (Council race in 1978), and Mary Martin again in later races. Campaign results remained in the low single digits.
- 2010: Omari Musa ran for Mayor and received about 717 votes (around 1%).

Overall
The SWP-DC has consistently served as a minor party, promoting a socialist alternative, DC statehood, and changes to housing, education, and public services. While it has not won major offices, it has contributed to district discussions on democracy, social justice, and economic reform.