American's For Prosperity Launches Campaign Against Chicago Socialist Convention

Americans for Prosperity Deputy State Director Brian Costin discusses the tenth annual national socialist convention held in Chicago and the group's new "Fight Socialism" campaign opposing it, as hotel workers protested outside the venue over wages. Costin says the convention's published platform calls for abolishing police, jails, the Senate and the Supreme Court, and for public ownership of major corporations and industries, and that scheduled speakers include commentator Hasan Piker on a panel about dismantling capitalism. He notes the convention is held at a Hyatt Regency hotel managed by the Pritzker family, whose patriarch, JB Pritzker, is Illinois' governor, and argues taxpayer-subsidized public infrastructure indirectly benefits the family's hotel business. Costin also points to recent Center Square Voters Voice polling showing independent and swing voters expressing wariness toward democratic socialism, and describes a separate protest by hotel workers outside the venue over wages, which he characterizes as inconsistent with the convention's stated solidarity principles. The Center Square did not obtain comment from convention organizers or speakers for this segment.