Through the Static

By Hannah Saunders

Kshama Sawant’s campaign for Washington’s 9th Congressional District is at risk of failing due to the efforts of former members she exiled. “Movement for Kshama” is a Super PAC launched by Sawant’s former campaign manager and three campaign staff who she fired, and drama surfaced publicly on April 26 when Sawant highlighted how the group is working to gather signatures and donations.

Sawant said these actions create legal risks for the campaign and that it was an “irrespsonsible decision.” She added that she will not accept signatures or contributions from any Super PACs, including Movement for Kshama. Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, individuals, and associations to promote or attack political candidates, but they cannot directly donate to or coordinate with a candidate’s campaign.

“Regardless of its leadership’s intentions, “Movement for Kshama” has now on multiple occasions shown a complete disregard for how its actions could damage this campaign. This particular decision by the PAC to collect ballot signatures could give ammunition to the Democratic Party and the state to try to block or remove our revolutionary socialist campaign from the ballot,” Sawant stated.

Looking at the gubernatorial race in California, Sawant said Green Party candidate Butch Ware was removed from the ballot because Democrats were afraid of increasing support among the working class. Cal Matters reported how Ware was removed because of issues with his past five years of tax returns; Ware attempted to meet the tax deadline, but was confused by contradictory messaging, and a judge ruled against him. Ware said this ruling was a ploy by the “Democratic establishment” to keep him from advancing on the ballot. Sawant emphasized that Washingtonians need to be prepared for similar actions.

“When working people are approached by a canvasser to get Kshama on the ballot, we urge that they first ask to make sure they are not being solicited by this Super PAC,” Sawant said.

Movement for Kshama responds

The following day, Movement for Kshama responded with a lengthy X post and said she was being dishonest, and attacking revolutionary socialists as a whole, as well as the Super PAC. The group stated that democrats are preoccupied with cutting social services, which Sawant’s campaign should be resisting.

“Instead of fighting to stop the Democrats’ cuts, Kshama is using her $500,000 war chest to make social media posts, create Instagram graphics, and send emails to her national list attacking other socialists with Movement for Kshama,” the Super PAC said. “Kshama has a pattern of sectarianism, which HAS done damage to her campaign.”

Most leftists do not support Sawant’s candidacy, Movement for Kshama said, adding how the Seattle Democratic Socialists of America voted against debating on an endorsement for her. The post further details how its members were fired and suspended over political disagreements, and that one person faced personal attacks several times. The group was banned from attending Sawant’s events, so they decided to support her independently via the Super PAC.

“They released this statement because they don’t want us to support the campaign at all, with or without a Super PAC. This is an attempt to smear us and undermine support for our efforts,” Movement for Kshama said. “Kshama’s sectarian attacks have not helped her win support from the rest of the left. She has alienated thousands of would-be supporters.”

The group stated it would vote on whether to dissolve the Super PAC at an upcoming meeting, and that they hope Sawant meets her signature goal, but took a jab at her declaration of being a revolutionary socialist.

“A revolutionary socialist would use her campaign to fight against the brutal attacks on working people from both parties, including the attacks currently being carried out by the Democrats in Seattle and King County,” Movement for Kshama said. “Socialists need to be willing to accept criticism, especially those who want to lead the movement. And we need to be open and honest when we disagree.”

Who’s running in the primaries?

The top competitor is Rep. Adam Smith, who has served in this position since 1997, but he has continuously voted to fund Israel’s genocide of Palestinians, despite negative views of Israel spiking. A Pew Research Center Poll conducted from March 23-29 on 3,507 U.S. Americans found that about 60% have unfavorable views towards Israel, which is a seven percentage point increase from the previous year, and almost 20 since 2022.

According to Track AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), Rep. Smith has accepted $457,236 from pro-Israel PACs, which raise funds and directly contribute to candidates who align with their pro-Israel agenda. These PACs influence U.S. relations statewide and overseas, with tax payer dollars funding the slaughter of innocent civilians.

Other candidates include republicans Janis Clark and Mark Greene, and Democrat Melissa Chaudhry. Sawant is running as an independent.

Sawant’s campaign strategy, or lack thereof

Sawant announced her candidacy on May Day of 2025, and was one of the speakers at the event in Cal Anderson Park. One undocumented community member said that it was ridiculous because their people cannot even vote, and the two began fighting over the microphone. Security stepped in to remove several undocumented people as Sawant shuffled to the side, awestruck. One of the Black Panthers of Tacoma, who was the next in line to speak, offered up some of her speaking time to the community member.

Since, Sawant’s campaign has piggybacked off of other movements, including protests and events with her campaign issues being free healthcare and national rent control, taxing the rich, ending all military aid to Israel, ceasing deportations, and a few others. The other part of her campaign strategy is showing up to Rep. Smith’s house and town Hall events to protest the fact that he has consistently voted to support Israel’s genocide. During the fall, her husband Calvin Priest barged through a town hall door and slammed it into a staffers head, injuring them, and a police report was filed.

Super PACs like Movement for Kshama can operate completely independently and its scope of practice can include accepting donations for things like advertising, and gathering signatures, but it must not coordinate any activities with a candidate or its campaign staff. Does Sawant believe this Super PAC is truly putting her campaign at risk, or is she using it as an excuse for having minimal support and strategy, despite launching over a year ago?

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