Kshama Sawant, Socialist Candidate for Congress
Authors
Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
bareditors Fri, 07/31/2026 - 04:14
Our guest is Kshama Sawant. She is a former Seattle, Washington City Council Member best known for her role in raising the minimum wage to $21 per hour, the highest in the nation. She is now running for Congress in Washington’s 9th District as a socialist candidate, and the open “jungle” primary election for that race takes place on August 4th. She joins us from Seattle to discuss her campaign.
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[Kshama Sawant](https://www.blackagendareport.com/articles/Kshama Sawant)
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Funny. Locally, she is best known for loving the spotlight, especially if she can make a bunch of people angry in the process, and for refusing to discuss and compromise on things. She has a lot of good ideas, but her personality is toxic. She’s someone who doesn’t know the word “ally”. There’s a reason she got voted out of one of the most progressive neighborhoods in the country and in a city with a socialist for a mayor.
Yes, she did help to pass some good legislation. Unfortunately, I can’t imagine her being remotely effective in Congress, where collaboration is a requirement to accomplish anything.
Edit: And she gives the rest of us socialists a bad look at a time when we need allies.