What the Polls Are Screaming to 'Mainstream' Democrats

[Celerity]

https://prospect.org/blogs-and-newsletters/tap/2025-09-09-what-polls-are-screaming-mainstream-democrats/



Lately, the gap between what rank-and-file Democrats believe and what many leading Democratic officials say and do has widened to Grand Canyon dimensions. I’ve noted previously that while just a bare 8 percent of Democrats supported Israel’s war on Gaza in a July Gallup poll, a substantial minority of Democratic senators voted against a Bernie Sanders resolution in August to halt our nation’s provision of offensive arms to Israel.

Now, two new polls reveal the core ideological beliefs of Democrats and those of their top leaders are similarly dissimilar. A New York Times/Siena poll released today shows that democratic socialist and Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani leads Andrew Cuomo in New York’s mayoral race by a 46 percent to 24 percent margin, with Republican Curtis Sliwa and incumbent Eric Adams bringing up the rear.

On a more fundamental, what-do-you-believe, who-are-you level, a Gallup poll yesterday shows that nationally, the percentage of Democrats who view socialism positively—66 percent—exceeds the percentage who view capitalism positively—42 percent—by (using my powers of subtraction) a 24 percentage point margin. At a less theoretical level where the rubber meets the road, the Times/Siena poll of New Yorkers showed that 37 percent of them (not just the Democrats) said having a democratic socialist for their mayor would be good for the city, against 32 percent who said it would be bad and 26 percent who said it would be neither good nor bad. As well, the specifics of Mamdani’s “affordability” agenda’s social democratic policies polled considerably higher than his opponents’ stances.

Let’s back up a bit. From the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt through that of Lyndon Johnson, the prevailing ideology of the Democratic Party was a weak-tea version of social democracy. The Carter and Clinton presidencies marked a clear switch to neoliberalism, from which the Obama presidency never really shook itself free. Today, in a period when wage income lags hugely behind investment income and when income inequality, consequently, continues to soar, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that a substantial majority of Democrats react more positively to democratic socialism than they do to actually existing capitalism.

snip

[democrank]

1. Interesting read

Thank you very much for posting

[Celerity]

4. yw

[usonian]

2. Bernie, AOC and Zonran are making the case that people want to hear and to put in effect.

Last edited Tue Sep 9, 2025, 06:01 PM - Edit history (1)

This is from an email I got from Bernie a while back, regarding the anti-oligarchy tour.
To states that the "Couch Patriot" party leaders dare not go.
IT IS NOT a complete platform, just issues that hit hardest and which resonate with millions of people.

People attending rallies in huge numbers are saying
YES to raising the minimum wage,
YES to expanding Social Security,
YES to guaranteeing health care as a human right,
YES to cutting the cost of prescription drugs,
YES to paid family and medical leave,
YES to equal pay for equal work,
YES to more affordable housing,
YES to making childcare and higher education affordable to all,
YES to taking on the existential threat of climate change.

And most importantly they are saying
YES to a government and an economy that works for all of us and not just the billionaire class and the Oligarchs.

Why this is not shared 24 by 7 by 365 to give hope while the GOP gives only fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) is a major party failure.

A fine rant is here if you like.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1324&pid=4007
It contains links to some even more explosive rants against our complacent leadership.

[Celerity]

6. thank you for sharing that

[mr715]

3. I love this article. Thanks nt

[Celerity]

5. yw

[biocube]

7. Its not complicated

Run like a new-deal Democrat. On all other issues, run exactly like Kamala did.

[Hornedfrog2000]

8. The haves and have nots

The older generation thinks they are fine. Until the housing market, and stock market tank. Then they will come screaming with the rest of us.

[Fil1957]

9. AOC and Bernie Sanders are arguably FDR Democrats. If more Democrats would support them and their

policies, the party would be much stronger, as it was during the time of FDR.

[SocialDemocrat61]

12. AOC and Bernie Sanders don't support segregation

Nor would they support the illegal internment of Japanese Americans or ignoring the mass murder of Jews or the sending in the army to break up a legal strike by a union or funneling huge amounts of tax payer money to create the military industrial complex.

[Feel Good Inc]

42. Doubt it.

FDR was an interventionist who pushed the idea of democratic exceptionalism in the international arena. He would be hated by a lot on the left despite his anti-colonialist rhetoric.

Economically, FDR was also a free trader who supported open markets and significant trade deals, which puts him at odds with this wing of the party who support a good amount of Trump's tariffs.

[betsuni]

45. FDR/LBJ were liberal Democrats same as the party today. NOT democratic socialists or populists.

Capitalists. Revisionist history creating a fictional Democratic enemy for political purposes helps the real enemy of progress.

[IbogaProject]

10. Giving the wealthy extra slows the economy

A check to check person spends their money wuick and local. Some wealthy person gets extra they are in no rush to spend it. And when they do it is often just shuffling it around their own closed circle. This is basic evonomics.

[Stargazer99]

44. Enriching the wealthy does not create a better economy yet the wealthy have trained the average person to think

making the wealthy more so will improve the average person's life...no wonder they think we are dumb

[creeksneakers2]

11. They left out that the poll said

When all voters are considered socialism is only seen favorably by 39%. Capitalism get 54%. Its still a sure loser in most states or nationally. And just wait for the hatchet job that will be done on any socialist who gets big enough to worry the elites. The party needs to concentrate on stopping Fascism for now.

[OldBaldy1701E]

17. Our current regime was created through our out of control capitalism.

All of the imbalances in our society are because of unregulated corporations who have gotten away with literal murder for decades. They have created a new nobility in the ultra-rich, as well as their career politician cronies, and that same group is conspiring to keep the rest of us at a certain level to insure both their positioning and our compliance in their positioning.

You remove the cause, you remove the regime as well as any chance of another group of animals getting to the top. The party should be working on that.

Why just fix one thing when we could fix most of it?

[creeksneakers2]

18. Because your attempt will fail

And Fascism that could have been stopped will thrive on.

[OldBaldy1701E]

57. Ironic.

Considering how many times I have been told that I am being negative.

Or, as Yoda once put it:

So certain, are you?

[creeksneakers2]

58. I don't know who told you that you are negative

or why they told you that.

As far as being certain: If I didn't firmly believe what I was telling you was right I would not have said it. I can be persuaded I'm wrong with facts, evidence or logic. I've yielded more times than I can count. But you haven't given me anything convincing.

I don't believe the world is as bad as some think it is.

[OldBaldy1701E]

60. I am not sure how I can offer facts about an action that really has no facts to it.

We can point out to other successful and/or failed attempts at altering a government or a society till we are both blue in the face.

You said yourself that you 'believe' your position is correct. You expect me to offer logic, facts, and evidence, and yet you use belief as your position. Unfortunately, 'belief' is not a basis for a 'certainty'. Plus, while we are in what can basically be described as 'uncharted waters', using belief as a basis of stability is not going to work. Ask anyone from the Dark Ages.

I have been told I was being negative because I have been saying that things like what is currently happening with ICE and with the D.C. situation would happen. I have been told I am being negative because I am not on board with just returning things to the way they were before that orange gibbon got elected the first time. Which is absolutely imperative for those who are already in the 'clique', so to speak, to remain there. My position is that the 'clique' needs to go. Now. All of it. However, most here do not share this position. Mainly because there is really only one way to remove that clique and it would involve some hardship. So, we won't even consider it. We'd rather suffer the hardships of being ruled by a fascist regime than suffer a more controlled situation by devaluing the thing that has created this horror show so that we can remove the stranglehold that the wealthy have on power as well as certain other aspects of our society. Which is also very odd to myself. I was not aware that Americans were so into Masochism. I would think that being the ones controlling the change would be better than trying to pick up the pieces after an out of control change. Maybe that is just me.

The 'world' is not what is bad. Humans are the issue. But, even if it is not 'as bad', I do not see the wisdom in deciding not to improve things when given the opportunity.

And, it appears that I am in the minority on that one as well.

[creeksneakers2]

61. My ideology is based on facts, evidence and logic.

[OldBaldy1701E]

63. Then you incorrectly stated your position.

You said you 'believe' that this will fail. You also offered no factual evidence that my suggested course of action would fail, just your belief that it would.

So, we are both in the same boat, I guess.

Except, I want to try new things because the old ones are not working anymore, and in fact bear real responsibility for our current state of affairs. (What was it Einstein said about insanity?)

Something has to change. Something has to give. Trying the same things over and over is not going to make things better. I want things to get better.

How about you?

[creeksneakers2]

64. I think candidates who are farther left lose

Because they seldom win. How well did Bernie do last time? We are always evolving. Right now there are some very good generic election polls. We have powerful issues to use against Trump. The best thing we can do is stick together and not fight with each other.

i said logic. I believe I'm applying that.

[TBF]

55. That is because we need to talk specifics, not labels -

focus on the policies and the large donors will be overruled every time.

I know that scares certain people. Tough.

[creeksneakers2]

59. I agree

[ananda]

13. Me too!

I love being a rank and file liberal Democrat!

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended

Thanks for the thread Celerity.

[digonswine]

15. A suggestion to all--

I just listened to Ezra Klein on the Blocks podcast(Neal Brennan) where they talk-among other things-about exactly this. Quite a good take, I think.

[LilElf70]

16. It's about time......

Only took 10 years. I'm "All in"

[spanone]

19. K&R

[Karasu]

20. Centrism/status quo-ism is worthless in times of unprecedented chaos and collapse. We need to offer a substantive,

meaningful alternative to fascism.

Or what's the point? Going back to the same old same old, which was always inevitably going to lead here when our opponents have no regard for democracy or political norms?

[valleyrogue]

21. LOL!!!!!

The American Prospect is hardly an unbiased source.

[LilElf70]

24. I personally don't have an issue with being a progressive democrat. Everyone should try it

The American Prospect is a print and online publication “promoting informed discussion on public policy from a progressive perspective.”

[LiberalLovinLug]

56. Name a publication which is NOT biased? LOL

The idea to simply discuss a new more popular direction for the party is .......too radical for you?

[MichMan]

22. Once Mamdani wins in a landslide, I think you will see his policies gain nationwide appeal beyond NYC

Someone is going to take hold and run on them in 2028

$30 per hour minimum wage

National rent freezes

Free child care for all

Free mass transportation

Nationalize grocery stores

[AllyCat]

23. Something needs to change.

We had a great candidate in Kamala. We have great candidates at the local and national levels. If our higher-ups and old guard can’t get with the times, we are done.

[LilElf70]

28. I totally agree

and from what I have seen, you have nailed what the issue is.

Something has to change. And I fully support making our future better for EVERYONE!

[littlemissmartypants]

25. 👍❤️🙏👋🇺🇸

[ancianita]

26. THIS.

Someone needs to forward this information to the DNC, CHUCK SCHUMER, AND HAKEEM JEFFRIES.

[yellow dahlia]

49. Are they willing to see reality?

They seem to refuse to put their prescribed methods aside for the benefit of the country, and the urgent need to save our Democracy.

[elleng]

27. Guess I'm a 'Mainstream Democrat!'

Last edited Wed Sep 10, 2025, 03:04 AM - Edit history (1)

Been with Bernie ALWAYS (being a Jewish New-Yorker, naturally,) AOL since the first time I've heard her, and Zohran NATURALLY!!!

NOT sure about remaining Dems, tho; feeling more Lefty.

[ZDU]

29. Revolution

https://m.

[LilElf70]

30. The first thing

Last edited Tue Sep 9, 2025, 08:23 PM - Edit history (1)

that needs to change is to get the money out of politics. What was so wrong when it was a limited amount on how much you could contribute to someone? Everyone had an equal voice.

And what is so wrong with going further left? The right went much further right with a con man, and look where we're at now.

Having progressive policies? Does anyone have a problem with Healthcare for all? Free education? Fair taxation?

We have to win the next several elections, or democracy is toast. Now is the time to act. We're running out of time every day, as nothing seems to be moving in the right direction. Too many politicians sitting on their hands. It's time for a huge change. Why is it that only progressive democrats are the only people going across this country to stop oligarchy? We need new people, new ideas, new thoughts, and get the damn money out of politics.

Let's take our democracy back.

[yellow dahlia]

50. Hear! Hear!

[LatteLady]

33. Three things

1. Take a poll of the big Democratic DONORS and you’ll see why “leading Democrats” are not in line with polls of VOTERS.

2. The term “socialist” does not mean the same thing to the general public. Left leaners think Scandinavian countries high standard of living and quality of life.. Right leaners think South America and economic collapse.

Farmers in Arkansas are begging for a bailout. 0% of them would say they’re supporting socialism.

3. Remember the ERA? At the time, a famous national poll asked (1) do you support the ERA? and later in the poll (2) do you agree with this statement? [the statement WAS the ERA word for word]

Something like 50% said yes to #1, while over 80% said yes to #2.

It’s the same issue with “socialism”, they say they’re opposed to it (the term) but they love their Social Security and Medicare.

The Dems either need a different term or they need to take control of the message.

[Pinback]

34. Yes to all 3, but especially #1.

That’s why millions of small-dollar donations are critical.

[Be Leave On]

47. won't happen

Small money donors react positively to leaders if/when those leaders create change.
Big money donors are always working to prevent such change.

[Scubamatt]

41. You are so right . . . .

It's all in the framing/messaging; we've been losing that fight for a number of years (partly because we are tied to wonky, policy driven positions instead of snappy tag lines and partly because corporate takeover of the media, aided by flood of money in politics, drowns out/distorts our messaging). Our party needs to change the way it messages, and prioritize combatting media concentration and money in politics. One concrete idea: pack the court and overturn Citizen United (among many other decisions).

[Queso Delicioso]

35. It's all about the money.

More specifically the people with money. The donor class is not at all a fan of this rising faction of Democrats, and the corpora-crats aren't too happy about having to choose between the people and the money. But they need to be reminded that doing nothing is a choice too, and we are watching.

[cer7711]

36. Yep! But if you try to post here re: that topic . . .

. . . you will find that post deleted ASAP and a stern warning issued re: "Do not attack the donor-class Democratoc party leadership."

There are none so blind as those who will not see... or listen... or learn....

[yellow dahlia]

51. We all need to be listening

and learning right now...including those in "leadership".

No room for mistakes, right now.

[NCmindfield]

37. Why in the world

can we not refer to it as Social Democracy instead of the toxic (to many) Democratic Socialism?

[NoSheep]

38. Thank you for posting

[Celerity]

40. yw

[Passages]

39. Yep and has been obviously so for some time now.

[PennRalphie]

43. This would work IF

The Democratic politicians talking about socialism were not themselves wealthy. Bernie is not struggling. He’s amassed wealth from somewhere. Mamdani is wealthy from his parents. AOC still claims to be on the poorer side.

[mntleo2]

46. Bernie Gets it; The War on Those in Poverty Never Ended

...Welfare Deformed only put low income (mostly) women in lifelong poverty. This was cheered along by established Democrats who purposefully misunderstood (IMO) that poverty is an institute. Institutions are kept in place because they benefit someone. Here is the definition of an Institution from the Marriam Dictionary:
a significant practice, relationship, or organization in a society or culture the institution of marriage
also : something or someone firmly associated with a place or thing
Who does the poverty institute benefit? Unlike the haters of those in poverty, they refuse to acknowledge the truth. The Poverty Institute certainly does not the benefit the poor. The institution of poverty is kept in order to employ and include those in the upper classes. such as the legal system, medical, social services, housing, food, all of these are part of the Poverty Institute

In the 1980s a man in Venezuela stood on the top of the garbage mountains and told those people, that not only were they far more numerous, they were also losing all the resources of their country, which gave them away to the richest and other companies from foreign entities. He said if they all voted they would win and be able to benefit from those resources. So they did vote and won, stunning the country and the world who never even counted him as a real candidate.

He did turn out to be a kook, but he did inspire the least among his country to vote as a block and win. His name was Ugo Chavez. The point I am making here is that, if the Dems stopped hating and blaming the poor from whom they benefit, they would win in a landslide. And this is why they are so afraid of that part of the country and try to shut them up. They just won't admit to their own benefit from those in poverty and embrace this population.

Say or do whatever you like but the truth is this is the way Dems could win if they took off their blinders.

My 2 cents, Cat from Seattle

[themaguffin]

48. There's a fundamental problem with our Congressional leadership and it's not related to that, it's ...

that they are either invisible (and not trying to be visible) or when they speak, it's mostly monotone robotic talking points, lacking passion and any way of breaking through and fighting back.

I'm not saying that they are doing nothing, but we are in a unique, tragic and dangerous time, and we need leaders who meet this moment.

[yellow dahlia]

52. Agreed

[CousinIT]

53. Dems need to go full-bore FDR. n/t

[TBF]

54. We know - have been saying for years. The donors don't like them -

I mean the big donors. The ones at the top writing the really big checks.

Campaign.Finance.Reform

[betsuni]

62. Oh, look at all those syllables. Neoliberal, capitalism, democratic capitalism. What's the message?

"I went to college but still don't know what all these words mean"? But regular Democrats are the elitists who don't know what's going on?

Okay then, good luck with that revolution based on insulting Democrats with big words.

[Emile]

65. K & R