A significant portion of the Democratic Party, approximately one-third of its members, expressed favorability towards politicians identifying as democratic socialists, according to a recent Pew Research poll. The survey found that 32% of Democrats indicated a preference for democratic socialist politicians, contrasting with 11% who expressed disfavor and 56% who reported no strong opinions.
Support for democratic socialists within the party was notably higher among self-described liberal Democrats, with 52% expressing favorability. Moderate and conservative Democrats showed more divided opinions, with 17% inclined to dislike them and 15% inclined to like them.
The poll also revealed demographic trends in support, with white Democrats showing higher favorability (40%) compared to Black (21%) and Hispanic (20%) Democrats. Upper-income Democrats were also more likely to favor democratic socialists (40%) than middle-income (34%) or low-income Democrats (24%).
This sentiment aligns with recent electoral trends where a number of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed candidates have secured victories in Democratic primaries, often in districts considered safe for the party. Over thirty-five DSA-backed candidates have won their primaries this year, including congressional hopefuls in New York and a candidate in Colorado.
Despite this internal party support, the broader American electorate appears more hesitant. The Pew Research survey indicated that 38% of all Americans dislike self-described democratic socialist politicians, while only 15% expressed favorability, and 43% remained indifferent. Republicans showed the highest disapproval rate at 69%.
The Pew Research poll surveyed 8,512 individuals between January 20 and 26, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points. The survey was conducted prior to the recent wave of primary victories for DSA-backed candidates.