A party moving further to the left: most democrats say they would vote for a 'democratic socialist'

Most Democratic voters would be willing to support a candidate who defines himself or herself as “democratic socialist” at the polls. This was revealed by a national Economist/YouGov poll conducted between June 26 and 29.

When asked if they would ever vote for a candidate who identified as a “democratic socialist,” 62% of Democrats answered in the affirmative. Only 11% said they would not, while 27% said they were unsure.

The results contrast with those of the Republican electorate: 85% said they would not vote for a candidate with that ideological label, and only 3% said they would. Among independents, 40% said they would not support such a candidate, compared to 24% who said they would.

Among all respondents, 45% said they would not vote for a “democratic socialist,” 29% said they would, and 26% were undecided.

The poll also reflects greater acceptance of this political orientation among the more progressive segments of the electorate. Seventy-three percent of those who identify as liberals said they would vote for a “democratic socialist.” Similarly, 64% of those who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election answered in the affirmative, compared to just 5% of Donald Trump voters.

Socialism is gaining ground among Democrats

The poll also asked which economic system Americans consider best. Among Democrats, 34% chose socialism, compared to 22% who opted for capitalism. Among Republicans, the opposite was true: 74% favored capitalism and 5% favored socialism.

In another question, 58% of Democrats said they had a favorable view of socialism, while 11% expressed an unfavorable view. Among Republicans, 71% expressed an unfavorable view and 11% a favorable one.

The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted between June 26 and 29, 2026, among a sample of 1,606 adult U.S. citizens and has a margin of error of ±3.2%.