Former Australian Labor MP Michael Danby said a small group of communists is attempting to take over the U.S. Democratic Party [1, 2].

The allegation highlights a growing debate over the influence of far-left ideologies within mainstream political institutions and the methods used to gain power.

Danby described a strategy known as "entryism," which he said is utilized by political groups that cannot achieve electoral success independently. By infiltrating a larger, established organization, these groups can exert influence from within the host party [1, 2].

"Communists, when they can’t win in their own right, sometimes choose a policy called entryism, which means they enter the host of a larger political party," Danby said [1].

While reports from Sky News Australia and MSN describe the group as a small number of extremists, other perspectives suggest a broader ideological shift [1, 2]. Commentary from City Journal indicates that a majority of the leadership within the Democratic Socialists of America identifies with Marxist ideology [3].

This discrepancy in the perceived size of the movement reflects a wider disagreement over whether these elements are marginal outliers or a significant force within the party structure [1, 3]. Danby said that the goal of such entryism is to steer the larger party toward a more radical agenda by capturing key internal positions [1, 2].

“Communists, when they can’t win in their own right, sometimes choose a policy called entryism”

The claim of 'entryism' refers to a specific political tactic where a small, disciplined cadre joins a larger party to shift its platform or seize control of its bureaucracy. While the scale of this influence is contested—ranging from a small group of extremists to a significant portion of socialist leadership—the narrative reflects an ongoing tension between moderate and radical wings of the U.S. left.