BY TED VAN GREEN Short Reads| June 30, 2026
Candidates who identify as democratic socialists have won some high-profile Democratic primary elections over the past month from Washington, D.C., to New York City. But the term itself has relatively modest traction with Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents nationally.
Many Americans – including a 56% majority of Democrats – say they neither like nor dislike political leaders who call themselves democratic socialists, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted earlier this year.
About a third of Democrats (32%) say they like leaders who describe themselves this way, while 11% say they dislike these leaders.
The survey, conducted Jan. 20-26, finds that Americans overall tend to dislike more than like leaders who identify as democratic socialists (38% vs. 17%). But a sizable share (43%) say they neither like nor dislike these leaders.
Among Democrats, views of democratic socialists differ by ideology:
- 52% of liberal Democrats say they like leaders who identify as democratic socialists. Only 4% dislike such leaders, while 43% neither like nor dislike them.
- Conservative and moderate Democrats are about equally likely to dislike (17%) as to like (15%) these leaders. About two-thirds (66%) say they neither like nor dislike them.
Note: White, Black and Asian adults include only those who report being only one race and are not Hispanic. Hispanics are of any race. Refer to the methodology for more details about family income tiers. Those who did not answer are not shown.
Democrats’ views on democratic socialists also differ by race and ethnicity, age, education, income, and political engagement. For example, 44% of Democrats who follow what’s happening in the government most of the time say they like such leaders, compared with a much smaller share (18%) of Democrats who follow this topic hardly at all.
Differences by race and ethnicity
White Democrats (40%) are more likely than Asian (30%), Black (21%) and Hispanic Democrats (20%) to like leaders who describe themselves as democratic socialists.
Differences by age
Among Democrats, 39% of those under 30 say they like leaders who identify as democratic socialists, as do 35% of those ages 30 to 49. About a quarter of Democrats ages 50 and older (26%) say they like these leaders.
Differences by education
Democrats with a college degree are more likely than those without one to like leaders who identify as democratic socialists (41% vs. 26%).
Differences by income
Four-in-ten upper-income Democrats like leaders who identify as democratic socialists. Smaller shares of those with middle (34%) and lower incomes (24%) say the same.
Across each of these demographic groups, roughly one-in-ten Democrats say they dislike these types of leaders, even as there are meaningful differences in the shares saying they like them or neither like nor dislike them
How Pew Research Center’s typology groups view democratic socialists
Pew Research Center’s 2026 political typology presents a nuanced look at how different political groups in the public see these types of leaders. The political typology classifies the public into nine groups based on their political and cultural values, rather than their party identification.
What is the political typology?
Pew Research Center’s 2026 political typology divides the American public into nine political groups based on responses to 30 questions about people’s social and political values and beliefs.
The goal of the long-standing project is to go beyond partisan leanings or vote choices to provide a deeper understanding of the American political landscape. Our first political typology was created nearly 40 years ago; the 2026 typology is the ninth version.
For more on the political typology, read the report or take the typology quiz to find out which group is your best match.
Two typology groups that have more consistently liberal views – Leftward Progressives and Loyal Liberals – are especially likely to view democratic socialists positively. About two-thirds of Leftward Progressives (66%) and about half of Loyal Liberals (53%) say they like these leaders. Together, these typology groups make up 17% of the public and 35% of Democrats and Democratic leaners.
Much smaller shares of two other largely Democratic-oriented typology groups – Left-Out Left (22%) and Order and Opportunity Left (11%) – say they like leaders who describe themselves this as democratic socialists. Majorities in both groups say they neither like nor dislike such leaders, while about 15% each dislike them. Together, these typology groups make up 30% of the public and 42% of the Democratic coalition.
All typology groups on the ideological right view these types of leaders more negatively than positively. But that sentiment is particularly pronounced among the most conservative and politically attentive groups: No Apologies Right and Faith First Conservatives.
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