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By Andrew Stanton
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Democratic socialists are set to expand their influence in Congress after candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani swept primaries in New York on Tuesday. But recent polling suggests that while support for capitalism may be cracking, more Americans are opposed to socialism.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are set to double their representation in Congress next year with Mamdani-supported candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier winning House primaries in New York.
Socialism has not been particularly popular in the United States, but DSA has scored an increasing number of wins in recent years, including the election of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani in New York. Many in Gen Z are more open to socialism than older Americans, and recent DSA victories could turn socialists into a more substantial bloc in Congress. But the movement must still contend with polling indicating more Americans still prefer capitalism, despite waning faith in it.
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Capitalism vs. Socialism: What Polls Show
A new poll from TIPP Insights published on Wednesday found that 44 percent of Americans view socialism unfavorably, compared to 33 percent who view it favorably. Twenty-three percent were unsure. Among Democrats, 46 percent viewed socialism favorably, while 32 percent viewed it unfavorably, the poll found.
It found that 33 percent of Americans believe capitalism offers a better future than socialism, while only 16 percent believe socialism offers a better future. The poll surveyed 1,589 adults May 26-28 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
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A recent Marquette University poll yielded similar results. Only 21 percent of respondents said they view socialism favorably, while 48 percent said they view it negatively and 31 percent said they haven’t heard enough about it to say.
But among Democrats, favorable views toward socialism stood at 38 percent, while 21 percent viewed it unfavorably. For context, 52 percent of Democrats view Democrats in Congress favorably, compared to 48 percent who view them negatively, according to the poll.
It surveyed 1,001 adults nationwide May 20-26 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.
CNN data analyst Harry Enten pointed to the Marquette numbers, saying it’s “no wonder” that democratic socialists are winning primaries.
“Simply put, they’re more popular than the Democrats currently in charge,” he said.
Socialists Celebrate Win, But Some Democrats Rebuke DSA Surge
DSA wrote in a statement to Newsweek that working-class Americans’ support for capitalism is “cracking” and that they “see a much better, more fruitful alternative in democratic socialism.”
“They know that both major parties are beholden to special interests. They are tired of paying for genocide and war abroad and for data centers in their backyards while being left to contend with low wages, unaffordable groceries, housing, healthcare, and higher education,” the statement reads.
DSA said their members are winning elections “because red-scare tactics continue to fall short, and voters increasingly recognize that DSA candidates are genuine working-class representatives who will fight for them at every level of government, putting people over profits for a change.”
Progressive activist Hasan Piker celebrated the victories in a post on X.
“AYO NEW YORK CAN YOU FEEL THE SPECTRE HAUNTING THE NATION!!!!! SOCIALISM IS COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOO,” he wrote.
Even though polls suggest that many Democrats view socialism more favorably, some have voiced opposition to DSA’s growing influence in the party.
“If you are a Democratic capitalist like me and a patriot, last night was a brutal night. The socialists who were, in my opinion, not Democrats, obviously had a big night and going after many things that many of us believe in,” Representative Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, said on Fox News’ America’s Newsroom on Wednesday.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat, hit out against the “dirtbag left” in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
“Some of these candidates are outrageous,” he said. “You have candidate—they abolish ICE, abolish the police, abolish the border.”
How Views of Socialism, Capitalism Changed Over Time
A poll from Gallup released last year found that support for capitalism fell to 54 percent, its lowest point since it began tracking opinion on the ideology in 2010, when support stood at 61 percent.
Support for socialism ticked up more modestly from 36 percent to 39 percent in the same time period.
Gen Z Open to Socialism
A Harvard Youth poll released last year found that young Americans prefer either socialism or democratic socialism to capitalism. In that poll, 29 percent said they prefer democratic socialism, while 21 percent said they support socialism, for a combined 50 percent. When it came to capitalism, 39 percent gave it their backing.
It surveyed 2,040 18- to 29-year-olds November 3-7, 2025, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.94 percentage points.
What Is Democratic Socialism?
DSA describes democratic socialism as a system "where ordinary people have a real voice in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and society."
"We want a democracy that creates space for us all to flourish not just survive and answers the fundamental questions of our lives with the input of all. We want to collectively own the key economic drivers that dominate our lives, such as energy production and transportation. We want the multiracial working class united in solidarity instead of divided by fear," the DSA website reads.
DSA members typically support progressive policies like single-payer healthcare and the Green New Deal.
Core to its belief is that any move toward a more egalitarian economy must happen through democratic institutions, civil liberties and competitive elections, rather than one-party rule—a key difference from some other forms of socialism. It falls under the umbrella of socialism but is a democratic branch of the ideology.
How Is Democratic Socialism Different From Socialism?
The key difference between democratic socialism and other forms of socialism is that democratic socialism maintains that any move toward a more socialist economy must happen through democratic institutions, civil liberties and competitive elections, not through centralized or authoritarian control.
The philosophy supports a socially owned economy but believes it should be achieved through political democracy. It also emphasizes individual rights.
Merriam-Webster defines democratic socialism as a “political movement calling for the establishment of a decentralized socialist economic system within a democratically run political system.”
It defines socialism as “any of various egalitarian economic and political theories or movements advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.”
It’s also different from communism, which is a defined as a “totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production.”
Where DSA Is Winning in Midterms
In New York, Valdez won an open seat held by Representative Nydia Velázquez, who has served in Congress since 1993. Avila Chevalier, meanwhile, unseated Representative Adriano Espaillat—a rare moment when an incumbent, particularly one who had not faced any major scandals, loses to an insurgent challenger.
Chris Rabb, backed by DSA, also won an open primary in a Philadelphia-based district.
All three are likely to easily win their elections in November, as they are running in some of the most Democratic seats in the country. This means three new DSA-supported candidates are likely to join the two current DSA members in the House, Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
DSA has also endorsed Melat Kiros in a primary against Representative Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st District, which is based in the Democratic stronghold of Denver.
In Washington, D.C., Janeese Lewis George won the Democratic primary in the mayoral race and is not expected to face much of a challenge in November, as D.C. is overwhelmingly Democratic. She is a DSA member and is poised to become the district’s first Democratic socialist mayor.
Additionally, Nithya Raman has advanced to the general election in the Los Angeles mayoral race to take on incumbent Karen Bass. Raman, who has received backing from DSA, has drawn comparisons to Mamdani.
In Wisconsin, DSA-endorsed Francesca Hong, a member of the State Assembly, has led several Democratic primary polls in the battleground state's gubernatorial race. If she wins the primary, her candidacy would become a major test for the left in a swing state that narrowly backed President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
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