Socialist Wave in U.S. Elections: College Graduates Underpin Rising Threat to American Ideals

This week has delivered stark warnings about America’s political future.

First, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Mississippi law in Watson v. Republican National Committee that permits ballots postmarked up to five days after Election Day to be counted as long as they are received by that deadline.

Second, in a Colorado Democratic primary, Melat Kiros—a 29-year-old lawyer born in Ethiopia—defeated longtime Democratic congresswoman Diana DeGette.

Kiros’ stance has drawn significant attention. She refused to label the firebombing attack on Jewish communities in Boulder, Colorado, last year as “antisemitic,” and characterized both the October 7, 2023, massacre that killed over 1,000 people in Israel and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States as “inevitable.” She blamed Israel for the former and the U.S. for the latter.

According to reports from the Washington Examiner, 35 candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America have won their primaries this year alone. Nearly a dozen of these victories occurred in safe Democratic districts for Congress, signaling that it is highly likely the House and Senate will see record numbers of socialist members next January.

Collectivist ideologies have consistently led to economic collapse and political tyranny wherever implemented. Contrary to promises by their advocates, socialism does not merely involve higher taxes to fund improved services for those less fortunate to “get a leg up.”

These ideologies are steeped in hatred of America, religion, and freedom. They use euphemisms like “equity” and “fairness” but are rooted in resentment toward individual achievement.

They promote ignorance, elevate envy, reward laziness, expand government power, discourage hard work, and punish success.

Republicans—and even some Democrats—are now questioning how to defeat these socialist candidates in upcoming elections.

The critical question must be: where do these so-called socialists originate?

The answer lies in their demographics. Contrary to expectations—especially when told that socialism benefits the minority protected classes, the poor, working-class Americans, or most immigrants—support for socialism is strongest among college-educated individuals.

For example, 44% of American Black homeowners own homes—many more would like to. So, socialist efforts to abolish private property (as New York City’s socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani has begun with rental properties) will not resonate with them. Many working-class Americans across all racial and ethnic backgrounds own businesses or work for those who do.

Demonizing entrepreneurs does not align with their values either.

Millions of immigrants came to the U.S. seeking to build businesses, educate their children, buy modest homes, and move into the middle class.

But once a person earns a college degree, support for socialism surges. For upper-middle-class and upper-class whites in particular, it has become a badge of honor to claim they wish to improve life for “Black and brown” populations.

Of course, this is without regard to whether these policies actually help those groups or anyone else.

Moreover, no one willingly gives up income, homes, or businesses. This “people power” socialism inevitably involves government force.

If compassion is emotionally intoxicating for these activists, compassion plus compulsion is their ideological version of crack.

Defeating these candidates at the ballot box is important—but that’s not where the real battle lies. It occurs in colleges and universities, where they are being indoctrinated.

Higher education faculty are overwhelmingly left-leaning. A recent Yale University survey revealed Democrats outnumbered Republicans 78-to-1 across humanities and social sciences departments. Similar patterns exist at other institutions—including the Ivies.

This disparity is exacerbated because many faculty promoting these ideologies are tenured, meaning they cannot be removed from their positions. Tenure is often cited as protecting “academic freedom” and diversity of opinion—but in practice, it ensures that tenured faculty’s viewpoints dominate junior hires.

The left-right divide on college campuses represents a gross distortion of national political views. Outside higher education, Americans are nearly equally split between Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.

To prevent America from slipping into collectivism:

1. Tighten border enforcement and limit visas to curb the influx of individuals who might support socialist policies.
2. Pass the SAVE Act to protect election integrity by requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship at federal law.
3. Protect the Electoral College from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would give states’ electoral votes to the national popular vote winner regardless of state results.
4. Most importantly: cut off the spigot at colleges and universities where faculty promote Marxism, socialism, communism, antisemitism, false theories about “white supremacy,” and the idea that there is no objective truth.

We can either stop bailing water on the Titanic or go down with the ship.