Politics

Denver Elects Councilwoman Promising To Usher In Communal Ownership ‘By Any Means Necessary’

No featured image available

Candi CdeBaca beat incumbent Albus Brooks in a runoff race for Denver City Council on June 4, running on a platform to bring about communal ownership of land, labor and resources “by any means necessary.”

CdeBaca, 32, who considers herself a democratic socialist, was among three new city council members to unseat incumbents in Denver in last week’s elections, according to The American Mirror.

She reportedly defeated Brooks by a margin of 52.4% to 47.6%, though military and overseas ballots are still being counted. Her victory would make her the first democratic socialist to hold a Denver City Council seat, Fox 31 Denver reported.

She participated in the “Denver Decides” candidate panel in April, where she explained her agenda to instate communal ownership of land, labor and resources and do away with “extractive” capitalism.

“I don’t believe our current economic system actually works. Um, capitalism by design is extractive and in order to generate profit in a capitalist system, something has to be exploited, that’s land, labor or resources,” CdeBaca said.

“I think that we’re in late phase capitalism and we know it doesn’t work and we have to move into something new, and I believe in community ownership of land, labor, resources and distribution of those resources,” she continued. “And whatever that morphs into is I think what will serve community the best and I’m excited to usher it in by any means necessary.”

CdeBaca wrote an extensive thank you message to her supporters June 5 on Facebook. She attributed her success to her staying “real.” She wrote:

We won every precinct that we could walk! We won every damned one! THAT is about PEOPLE vs. money! Hard work vs. money! Connection vs. shallow engagement!

The Eastside taught me really early what “real” really means. Don’t talk about it, BE about it. I knew in my heart if community who knew this principle still existed in the Eastside, they would see me and recognize real. If they didn’t I was cool with it too because I wanted to serve those who understand this principle. They are here, they showed up, they recognized real. We won this battle while our communities are at war.

Carlos Valverde, state director of left-wing activist group Colorado Working Families, likened CdeBaca to New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, according to The American Mirror.

“Its historic. It is in the vein of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez … a victory that really demonstrates people power over money power,” he said.

Follow Matt on Twitter.