A new Gallup poll released in August shows that a growing share of Democrats now view socialism more favorably than capitalism, underscoring the party’s shift toward left-wing economic policies in the aftermath of its 2024 electoral defeat.
According to the survey, only 42 percent of Democrats said they had a positive view of capitalism, while 66 percent expressed a favorable opinion of socialism.
By contrast, 74 percent of Republicans reported a favorable view of capitalism, with only 14 percent saying they viewed socialism positively. The poll was conducted between August 1 and August 20 among 1,094 U.S. adults.
Overall, 54 percent of Americans said they had a positive view of capitalism, down from 60 percent in 2021 and marking the lowest level since Gallup began tracking the measure in 2010.
Favorable views of socialism rose slightly in the same period, from 36 percent to 39 percent.
Gallup noted that Democrats have viewed socialism more positively than capitalism since 2016, but the gap between the two has widened in recent years.
The findings suggest that Democratic voters are increasingly receptive to the types of policy proposals long advanced by prominent figures on the party’s progressive wing.
The shift in attitudes is evident in New York City, where Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for mayor earlier this year.
Mamdani has proposed raising the minimum wage to $30 an hour, creating taxpayer-funded government-run grocery stores, and imposing higher taxes on what he has described as “richer and whiter” neighborhoods.
Mamdani has secured endorsements from leading progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Elizabeth Warren says Mamdani’s plan is the “Democratic Message”
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 4, 2025
So just to be clear, this is the official democratic message:
– Defund the police
– Release all the criminals from prison
– Disarm law abiding citizens
– seize your property
– free child m*tiIation
– ban ICE pic.twitter.com/13YTGI3TWO
"This is our guy!"
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 8, 2025
Bernie Sanders disapproves of Democratic leaders not backing Zohran Mamdani — calling their lack of support “hard to understand.” pic.twitter.com/waa7R20e1O
However, some of the party’s top leaders, such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, have not openly embraced his candidacy.
Unless you have the IQ of a meat thermometer, you can see the split in the Democratic Party.
Nobody pays attention to what Presidents Obama or Clinton, Sen. Schumer, or former Speaker Pelosi say anymore.
The real leaders are Zohran Mamdani, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, and Sen. Sanders. pic.twitter.com/bCd8DIOimf
— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) August 14, 2025
If elected in November, Mamdani would become the first self-described Democratic Socialist to serve as mayor of New York City.
His platform has drawn both strong support from progressives and sharp criticism from Republicans, who say his rise illustrates the Democratic Party’s drift toward socialism.
House Speaker Mike Johnson pointed to Mamdani’s win as a potential advantage for Republicans heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
“Democrats, who have learned nothing from their historic defeat in 2024, are rallying around a radical, Antisemitic, abolish-ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement], defund-the-police, big-government Marxist,” Johnson told the Daily Caller News Foundation in July following Mamdani’s primary victory.
“Comrade Mamdani’s extreme views are bad news for New York City, but great news for House Republicans.”
The Gallup findings and Mamdani’s candidacy highlight the challenges Democrats face as they attempt to redefine their message and rebuild their base after significant losses.
With the party’s grassroots increasingly supportive of socialist policies and Republican leaders eager to draw attention to that shift, the debate over the future direction of the Democratic Party is likely to remain a central issue heading into the 2026 elections.
