Tom Barrett Argues That Being a Socialist Should Bar an Opponent From Running

Congressman Tom Barrett, a 21-year Army veteran helicopter pilot who spent nearly a decade in the state legislature before narrowly winning Michigan’s seventh district in 2024, is making a blunt argument against his opponent: being a socialist should disqualify him for people’s consideration in the district.

Barrett is facing William Lawrence, an activist and founder of the Sunrise Movement who is a longtime member of the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). Lawrence recently claimed his DSA membership lapsed, but Barrett is not buying it. The race is competitive, and Barrett says Lawrence’s socialist ideology makes him unfit for the job.

Barrett’s Case Against Lawrence

Barrett argues that Lawrence’s ideological shift is political expediency, not conviction. He points to a recent post where Lawrence called the nuclear family “an isolating, violent way of organizing society” and praised campaigns to abolish the police. Lawrence also said if the U.S. is humane, it must “throw open the borders and redistribute all of the wealth.”

Barrett cites “countless other statements” showing a pattern of behavior. He says Lawrence has embraced all DSA positions and benefited from its support without actually disagreeing with them. The district includes Lansing, the state capital, a large blue city surrounded by reddish suburbs and deep red rural areas.

Barrett is also running against the backdrop of Lawrence’s targeting of West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin with a post that said: “Hurry up and die so that we can get started.”

The Border Argument

Barrett ties the fentanyl crisis to border policies. He says securing the border led to a significant decline in fentanyl overdose deaths. He estimates upwards of ten or fifteen million illegal immigrants entered the country under the Biden administration.

He warns that throwing the border open and abolishing the police would lead to more Americans dying of fentanyl, gang activity and tragedy. He argues open border policies pose a public safety threat.

“Being a socialist should disqualify him for people’s consideration in my district.”

The Membership Lapse Question

Lawrence’s claim that his DSA membership lapsed is a key point of contention. Barrett calls it suspicious, noting it happened “two weeks before the primary election on the eve of him winning.” Barrett says Lawrence is running in a competitive district, unlike Rashida Tlaib’s or AOC’s.

Barrett argues being a socialist should disqualify Lawrence from consideration in the district. He says Lawrence’s rhetoric shows radicalization.

The District Context

Michigan’s seventh district is a mixed bag. Lansing is a large blue city surrounded by reddish suburbs and deep red rural areas. Barrett narrowly won the seat in 2024, and the race remains tight.

Barrett’s military record is substantial. He is a 21-year Army veteran helicopter pilot who served numerous overseas deployments before returning to Michigan. He spent nearly a decade in the state legislature before running for Congress.

What This Means for Voters

Barrett’s argument rests on a simple claim: a candidate’s ideology should determine whether voters take them seriously. Lawrence’s socialist affiliation, in Barrett’s telling, makes him toxic to the district’s voters.

The race is competitive, and the stakes are high. Lawrence’s DSA ties and his recent post targeting Manchin have become central to the campaign. Barrett is using them to paint Lawrence as a radical who cannot be trusted with the district’s interests.

Whether voters agree depends on which version of Lawrence they believe: the one who says his DSA membership lapsed, or the one whose posts speak for themselves.

Where the paper stands

The paper backs neither side on the ideological dispute over socialism, and instead supports candidates judged issue by issue against the north star of individual freedom, small business, and no concentrations of power. That means Barrett’s argument that socialism disqualifies Lawrence should be weighed alongside Barrett’s own record of seeking federal office while benefiting from the support of powerful interests.

Barrett’s experience as a 21-year Army veteran and state legislator is real, but so is the question of whether he is using the socialist label as a proxy for broader disagreement with corporate power. The paper does not take sides on that question, but it notes that Barrett’s own career included years in state politics during which he benefited from organized support.

What voters should watch for is whether the race stays focused on specific issues affecting the district — border security, law enforcement, economic policy — rather than on labels that tell them little about how either candidate would act in office. The paper will continue to judge candidates by their positions on the north star, not by their party registration or their opponents’.

Source material: “Congressman Tom Barrett: 'Being a socialist should disqualify him for people's consideration in my district',” Fox News.

DSA · midterms · politics · Tom Barrett · William Lawrence