Democratic Socialists Gain Seats in Congress, but Voters Remain Wary of Socialism

Democratic Socialists of America had their strongest election night yet. Six candidates backed by the group won House seats on Tuesday, which will lift its presence in Congress to eight members, four times the current number. All of the winners ran in safely Democratic districts. The wins follow New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s rise and raise a fresh question about how much real power the movement can use, since a Democratic landslide of more than 250 House seats means party leaders could lose every one of those votes on most bills and still pass them.

What Voters Think About Socialism

CNBC Poll Shows a Split Verdict

A CNBC Voter Poll of roughly 80,000 midterm voters found 53% view socialism unfavorably and 33% favorably, while 56% hold a positive view of capitalism. Only 18% call themselves democratic socialists. Even so, frustration runs deep: three in four rated the economy as poor or not so good, and 70% said the system favors the wealthy over ordinary Americans.

Tests Outside Liberal Strongholds

In Florida, DSA member Angie Nixon came within three points of an upset against Sen. Ashley Moody but trailed moderate gubernatorial candidate David Jolly’s showing. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, who is backed by Bernie Sanders but is not a DSA member, won his Senate race by seven points yet ran almost four points behind Gov.-elect Jocelyn Benson. State ballots were mixed too: Montana voters backed limits on corporate political spending, while California rejected a billionaire wealth tax but approved higher income taxes on the wealthy.

Money, Organizing and the 2028 Question

The movement is gaining financial strength. The 12 biggest donors to American Priorities, a super PAC supporting some DSA-backed candidates, gave nearly $5.9 million this cycle. DSA co-chair Megan Romer says door knocking and phone calls matter more than mailers and ads. The results sharpen the debate over whether left-wing populism can widen the Democratic coalition without losing swing-state moderates, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is seen weighing a White House run.