>>520575745
A socialist gaining power doesnt scare republicans it scares neoliberals because it further divides the centrist and populist sides of the american left when they are at their weakest point politically in decades. republicans dont have this same issue because they are fully rallied behind their populist faction with only token opposition.
A nationwide rise in true left wing candidates wont really change much in states that are already defacto 1 party rule like new york or california but in battleground states like georgia, north carolina, arizona, wisconsin, and michigan it will split the democratic vote which is a death sentence in a 2 party system. It can be avoided if the dems embrace leftism but true blue dems would rather trump be president than allow someone like bernie sanders to take over their party