A new poll has revealed that a significant portion of Democrat and Democrat-leaning voters identify as democratic socialists, underscoring the ideological divide within the party ahead of the midterms.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Approximately one-third of Democrats and Democrat-leaning adults identify as democratic socialists, according to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS. 📺 DETAIL: The poll revealed that 59 percent of democratic socialists within the Democrat Party are under the age of 45. The poll also revealed that 57 percent of self-identified democratic socialists are white. Self-described democratic socialist Democrat voters are also less likely to hold college degrees or earn over $100,000 annually. Significantly, democratic socialists tend to be more energized about voting in the upcoming midterms. Whereas 57 percent of non-socialist Democrats were “extremely motivated to vote,” 66 percent of democratic socialists said the same. Roughly one-third of Democrat and Democrat-leaning adults identify as democratic socialists. They are more likely to view the Democrat Party favorably than non-socialist Democrats, with 68 percent having a positive view of the party. Democratic socialists are almost twice as likely to support the party moving to the left than non-socialist Democrats, 36 percent of whom would be unhappy with an explicitly socialist candidate. 🎯 IMPACT: This data demonstrates the rise of democratic socialism within the Democrat Party. The increasing prominence of socialist candidates and policies, especially ahead of a tight midterm election, may create problems for the party, particularly in competitive areas. Pursuing radical and often unpopular policies runs the risk of alienating moderate or conservative Democrat-leaning voters. The shift towards democratic socialism within the party indicates that a large portion of Democrats believe that the party’s failure in the 2024 Presidential election was the result of being insufficiently radical and left-wing, despite substantial evidence to the contrary, especially when it comes to social issues such as gender transitions for children. 📺 FLASHBACK: Earlier this month, Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI) encouraged her fellow Democrats to embrace the term “socialist.” Zohran Mamdani, the Ugandan immigrant who now serves as Mayor of New York City, is currently the most successful Democrat candidate in recent years to identify explicitly as a socialist. The CNN poll represents the continuation of a trend that has been accelerating for over a year. Back in 2025, it was reported that roughly one quarter of the Democrat Party views democratic socialist Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as the “face” of the party. |
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