As Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates become a more prominent force in the Democratic Party, there’s debate about whether it should move toward the political edge or compete for the bulk of voters in the center.

The leftward shift in the Democratic base, however, may have less to do with winning political strategy and appealing policy and more to do with the psychology of groups – that is, political tribalism. 

Political in-groups, or tribes, behave differently than traditional democratic (with a small d) political culture assumes. They use purity tests to weed out dissenters and fakers. Group members seek identities that make them feel both connected and distinct at the same time – psychologists call this optimal distinctiveness. As politics becomes more tribal, we may think it’s the candidates or their policies that appeal to us, but often there are other deeper drivers at work, such as belonging, identity and uniqueness. 

Traditional democratic politics has often been a competition to capture the middle. Right now, Democrats could compete for the many voters who are dissatisfied with Republicans but don’t see themselves as part of the left, the way Bill Clinton’s “New Democrat” campaigns once did. George........

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