Poll: Majority of Likely Voters Under 40 Say They Want to See ‘Democratic Socialist’ Win Next Presidential Election
A new national snapshot shows voters under 40 leaning decisively toward a political shift: a majority of likely voters in that age bracket say they want a “democratic socialist” to take the White House in 2028, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports poll.
Researchers presented a straightforward question to respondents ages 18 to 39: “The next presidential election is in 2028. Would you like to see a democratic socialist candidate win the 2028 presidential election?” The results revealed a striking generational divide.
When all respondents were tallied together, 51 percent answered “yes,” embracing the idea of a democratic socialist victory. Just 32 percent opposed the concept, while 17 percent said they were uncertain about which direction they preferred.
Partisan differences were exactly what one would expect in today’s fractured political climate. Among Democrats under 40, enthusiasm was overwhelming: 82 percent welcomed a democratic socialist in 2028, with only eight percent rejecting the idea and nine percent unsure.
Republicans under 40 took the opposite stance. Sixty-five percent said they did not want a democratic socialist winning the next presidential race, compared to 24 percent who said they did, and 11 percent who were unsure how they felt.
Independents were split in every direction. Thirty-seven percent favored a democratic socialist outcome, but 32 percent couldn’t make up their minds, and 31 percent said they would prefer someone else entirely.
The poll also explored what — or who — nudged young voters toward democratic socialism in the first place. Twenty-seven percent credited a parent for shaping their views. After that came online media: 17 percent said videos or podcasts influenced them. Ten percent pointed to books, seven percent to a grandparent, six percent to print or digital news, five percent to television, five percent to a church leader, and four percent to a teacher at either the high-school or college level.
Parents were the dominant influence for both Democrats and Republicans who held pro-socialist leanings. Independents stood out slightly, with the largest share of them — 18 percent — citing books as the biggest factor.
Rasmussen surveyed 1,496 likely voters between the ages of 18 and 39 from October 31 through November 2, 2025. The poll’s margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percent.
These findings arrive at a moment when democratic socialism is receiving fresh attention, spurred in part by the rise of Muslim socialist Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor-elect, who has promoted sweeping proposals such as city-run grocery stores — and even argued that “mental health experts” should respond to crimes instead of police.
The polling also comes against the backdrop of internal Democrat turmoil, showcased during the party-triggered government shutdown, where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was seen attempting to placate the increasingly aggressive far-left faction of his caucus.
{Matzav.com}