威尔·劳伦斯看起来像是共和党在中期选举中攻击的完美靶子。这位留着胡须的36岁密歇根州国会候选人曾是美国民主社会主义者组织的成员，曾主张重新分配土地和财富、废除警察以及对化石燃料公司实行“强制国有化”。共和党正向他的选区投放大量广告，将他描绘成一个意图“摧毁美国生活方式”的激进社会主义者。
Will Lawrence looks like the poster child for Republican attacks in the midterm elections. The bearded 36-year-old Michigan congressional candidate is a former member of the Democratic Socialists of America who once advocated for redistributing land and wealth, abolishing the police and the “forced nationalization” of fossil fuel companies. Republicans are flooding his district with ads portraying him as a radical socialist bent on “destroying the American way of life.”
然而，劳伦斯在民主党初选中击败了两名温和派候选人，目前在一个摇摆选区与共和党现任众议员汤姆·巴雷特的支持率不相上下，这是全美最激烈的众议院竞选之一。劳伦斯将竞选重点放在民生议题、反对数据中心和与伊朗开战，以及日益扩大的贫富差距上。
Yet Lawrence, who defeated two moderate candidates in the Democratic primary, is running neck-and-neck with Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Barrett in a swing district in one of the country’s most competitive House races. Lawrence has focused on pocketbook issues, opposition to data centers and the war with Iran, and the country’s widening income disparity.
像他这样的竞选正在考验共和党指责社会主义是否仍能构成政治包袱。全国范围内，具有社会主义倾向或与民社组织有关联的候选人赢得初选并参与激烈角逐。要求政府加强干预的民粹主义主张——包括限制处方药价格、限制租金涨幅和对亿万富翁征税——正在各政治派别的美国人中获得支持。
Races like his are testing whether Republicans can still make accusations of socialism a political liability. Across the country, candidates with socialist leanings—or who have associations with the DSA—have won primaries and are running competitive races. Populist ideas calling for more government intervention, including capping prescription drug prices, limiting rent increases and taxing billionaires, are gaining traction among Americans of all political persuasions.