Democrats and Democratic Socialism: New Poll Insights

A recent poll reveals that almost one-third of Democrats are in favor of political leaders who identify as democratic socialists. The current primary successes of self-identified democratic socialists have brought the ideological direction of the party into clearer focus.

This survey from the Pew Research Center comes on the heels of significant victories for Democratic Socialist candidates, notably in New York City last week and the unexpected win by Melato Quiroz over long-term Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado. It seems like there’s some real momentum building for these candidates.

The data indicates that 32% of Democrats and those who lean Democratic express a preference for leaders who identify as democratic socialists, while 56% remain neutral about these figures. Just 11% responded negatively.

In contrast, the broader American populace appears less receptive: 38% disapprove of political leaders who label themselves as democratic socialists, compared to 17% who support them.

The internal divisions within the Democratic Party are notable. A significant portion of liberal Democrats (52%) express support for democratic socialist leaders, while a mere 4% are against them. Among moderate and conservative Democrats, approval drops sharply to only 15%, with 17% disliking these leaders and 66% neither supporting nor opposing them.

Support for democratic socialism tends to be strongest among younger, white, college-educated Democrats with higher incomes. In fact, 40% of white Democrats expressed approval, nearly double the 21% of black Democrats and 20% of Hispanic Democrats who feel similarly. Among Asian Democrats, 30% are in favor.

When it comes to age, nearly 39% of Democrats under 30 like leaders identifying as democratic socialists, compared to 35% of those aged 30 to 49 and just 26% of those 50 and older. Furthermore, those with college degrees show significantly higher approval rates (41%) compared to their non-college-educated counterparts (26%). High-income Democrats are also notably supportive at 40%, while middle-income and low-income Democrats show lower levels of 34% and 24%, respectively. It seems, too, that those who pay closer attention to government and political matters are more inclined to favor such candidates.

The uptick in attention toward democratic socialists comes after several notable primary victories. Recent wins in New York City, including those of candidates backed by democratic socialists, along with Quiroz’s success against DeGette, suggest that this movement is gaining traction beyond just New York.

Henry Olsen from the Ethics and Public Policy Center noted that these poll results imply a substantial base for democratic socialism among Democratic primary voters. He argued that those in favor could represent a larger slice of the electorate compared to the broader Democratic coalition, pointing out their higher engagement with political news.

Another point of concern for some Democratic legislators is that DeGette’s loss serves as a “wake-up call,” indicating a demand for newer and younger representatives in the party. There are suggestions that the Democratic Socialist Party of America’s appeal among educated younger voters is largely due to their strategic approaches.

This survey follows additional research indicating a sense of discontent among Democrats. A recent poll by The Economist and YouGov noted that only 8% of Democrats believe the U.S. is the “greatest” country ahead of its 250th anniversary, with nearly 40% expressing embarrassment about being American.

The Pew survey was conducted from January 20 to January 26, involving 8,512 adults in the U.S.