2 hours ago - Politics & Policy
Americans' embrace of socialism reaches record high
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Americans' views of socialism have reached a record high, with 43% saying they view it positively, a Gallup poll finds.
Why it matters: Attitudes toward socialism could play a key role in the November midterms, after democratic socialist candidates won a series of key primary races.
- President Trump has called democratic socialists the "biggest threat to our nation," but congressional Republican candidates are being warned that socialism isn't a strong attack line.
By the numbers: The share of Americans who feel positively about socialism jumped from 39% to 43% in the past year.
- That shift came entirely from independents: positive views of socialism rose 8 percentage points among that group since last year, to 45%.
- Since 2010, favorability has climbed among Democrats from 50% to 65%.
- Views toward socialism are lowest among Republicans (14%), but even that has ticked up since 2019 (9%).
Reality check: Socialism remains less popular than capitalism, which 55% of Americans view positively.
Between the lines: The fear of "communism" resonates more with voters than "socialism," House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain told Axios last week.
- The challenge for Republicans is to convince voters that socialism leads to communism, McClain said.
