Most Americans Would Not Vote for Democratic Socialist Presidential Candidates, Poll Finds

A Washington Post-Ipsos poll conducted July 8-13 reveals that the majority of U.S. voters would not consider voting for a candidate identifying as democratic socialist if they ran for president. The survey found 55% of Americans would not vote for such a contender, while 39% expressed openness and 6% had no opinion.

Meanwhile, three-quarters of Democrats stated they would be open to backing a democratic socialist presidential candidate, signaling the movement’s growing influence within the party. The poll also shows that an 88% majority of Republicans and 54% of independents ruled out supporting such a candidate.

These findings come as some Democrats debate whether embracing more progressive candidates represents their best path to reclaiming the White House in the 2028 election. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is widely regarded as a potential presidential contender.

The Democratic Socialists of America reported over 120,000 dues-paying members across 220 local chapters and advocates policies including Medicare-for-all, higher taxes on wealthy Americans, stronger union protections, universal rent control, free prekindergarten, and replacing the Electoral College with a national popular vote.

The poll uncovered significant divides in how Americans view democratic socialism. Democrats more often associated it with economic equality, expanded social programs, and aiding working Americans, while Republicans most frequently linked it to communism, Marxism, or increased government control. When asked whether democratic socialism is similar to communism, 30% of respondents said yes, 32% said it is different, and 36% were unsure.

Despite the movement’s growing appeal within the Democratic Party, only 15% of Americans expressed liking political leaders who identify as democratic socialists. Thirty-six percent disliked such leaders, while nearly half had neither positive nor negative feelings about them.

Younger voters showed greater receptiveness: 46% of those under age 30 would consider voting for a democratic socialist candidate, compared with 36% of Americans aged 50-64 and 33% of those over 64. Education level also influenced support, with 51% of respondents holding postgraduate degrees expressing openness to such candidates versus 44% with bachelor’s degrees, 39% with some college education, and 32% without college experience.

Additionally, white Democrats were about twice as likely as Black Democrats to express liking democratic socialist leaders, while Americans earning more than $100,000 annually were somewhat more likely than lower-income respondents to consider voting for a candidate of this ideology. The survey surveyed 2,648 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.

By Nicole Weatherholtz | Thursday, July 30, 2026