A national online poll carried out over three days and ending on Sunday shows a narrow divide in public familiarity with democratic socialist policies even as candidates associated with that political current make gains in Democratic primaries.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,248 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points, found that 49% of respondents said they understood democratic socialist policies, while 47% said they did not. The results highlight a significant information gap facing candidates who identify with, or are endorsed by, democratic socialists.
That gap is on display in Michigan, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed - who describes himself as a progressive and not a socialist - will meet moderate Democrat Haley Stevens in a party primary next Tuesday. El-Sayed has received endorsements from prominent democratic socialists including U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Stevens has been backed by moderate U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. The winner of the Michigan primary will go on to face former Republican Representative Mike Rogers in November in a race cited as one of several likely to influence which party controls the Senate for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
The poll also asked respondents to evaluate the ideas associated with democratic socialists. Some 27% said democratic socialists have at least some good ideas, 51% said they have few or no good ideas, and 20% were unsure. Respondents gave a comparable assessment to the ideas of MAGA Republicans - the political base aligned with former President Donald Trump - with 27% saying MAGA Republicans have at least some good ideas, 57% saying they have few or no good ideas, and 13% unsure.
On policy distinctions highlighted in the Michigan contest, El-Sayed supports Medicare for All, described in the poll brief as a government-run universal health insurance system that would replace most private insurance. Stevens favors expanding insurance subsidies while preserving private insurance. Those divergent positions reflect a broader ideological split within the Democratic Party over the role of government in health care financing.
El-Sayed has drawn endorsements from elected officials associated with the Democratic Socialists of America. U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the DSA who some view as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has endorsed El-Sayed. The article notes that Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are members of the Democratic Socialists of America, described as a left-wing organization formed in 1982 through the merger of two groups.
Candidates backed by the DSA have recorded recent primary victories in locations such as New York City and Colorado, and a DSA member, Nithya Raman, advanced as one of two finalists in the Los Angeles mayoral race. The text also notes that Zohran Mamdani, identified as a prominent DSA member, was elected mayor of New York City in 2025.
Political messaging has become part of the context for how democratic socialism is perceived. The poll summary describes efforts by former President Trump to label all Democrats - including those not affiliated with the democratic socialist movement - as "hardcore, godless communists." The article distinguishes democratic socialism from communism, noting that democratic socialists seek to pursue progressive policy goals through elections, while communism advocates abolishing private property and creating a classless society - outcomes that democratic socialists seeking office reject.
Methodology note: The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, surveyed 1,248 U.S. adults nationwide, and reported a margin of error of 3 percentage points.