The Dig: Primary Struggle w/ Claire Valdez

In this pivotal episode of The Dig, host Daniel Denver interviews six left-wing candidates running for federal and state office across the U.S., revealing a powerful, grassroots-driven movement reshaping American politics from the ground up. From New York’s Claire Valdez, who emphasizes that democratic socialism isn’t about individual charisma but about building a movement through deep social bonds and rank-and-file organizing, to Colorado’s Maylott Kuros, who was fired from a corporate law firm for criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza and now runs on a platform of universal healthcare and anti-imperialism, the candidates share a common thread: they’re not just running for office—they’re building a new political culture. William Lawrence in Michigan argues that socialists must not only organize people but also own land and physical spaces to sustain long-term resistance, while Erica Eiderhoven in Massachusetts exposes how even 'deep blue' states like hers are captured by corporate interests and lack transparency. Conrad Blackburn in Harlem reclaims the city’s radical Black socialist legacy by reframing everyday acts—like rent parties and childcare swaps—as forms of socialism. And Janice Lewis-George in Washington, D.C., delivers a searing indictment of the city’s colonial status, showing how federal control leaves D.C. vulnerable to fascist overreach under Trump.