Heartland/Rasmussen Poll: Majority of Young Likely Voters Want Democratic Socialist to Win the White House in 2028
42% of likely voters aged 18-39 who identify as CONSERVATIVE want Democratic Socialist to win presidency; Parents and online videos or podcasts are most likely to influence young Americans to support democratic socialism; 52% said their teachers or professors favored democratic socialism when they attended school
SCHAUMBURG, IL, Nov. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A stunning new poll by The Heartland Institute’s Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center and Rasmussen Reports reveals that 51% of young Americans who are likely to vote in the next presidential election would like to see a democratic socialist in the Oval Office. The survey found that nearly three-in-10 young Americans who voted for President Trump in 2024 would prefer a democratic socialist win the presidency in 2028.
The survey, designed by The Heartland Institute, included 1,496 likely voters aged 18-39. It was completed on November 2, 2025.
See the poll questions and the crosstabs here.
Democratic Socialism Goes Mainstream: Nearly 60 percent of those aged 18 to 24 and well north of 50 percent of those aged 25 to 29 expressed their support that a democratic socialist win the 2028 presidential election, including about a quarter of self-identified Republicans and 42% of moderates. Those earning less than $100,000 per year and those earning $200,000 or more also voiced strong support for a democratic socialist in the White House whereas the only income cohort to oppose this scenario are those earning $100,000 to $200,000 annually.
Changing Young Minds: Parents (27%), online videos or podcasts (17%), and books (7%) were the most influential sources cited by respondents in their support of democratic socialism. More than half (54%) said their parents or guardians were favorable toward democratic socialism to the best of their recollection when they were growing up. Again, there was a strong correlation between those earning less than $100,000 and those earning $200,000 or more per year who say their parents favored democratic socialism whereas middle-class households were less likely to champion democratic socialism to their kids. Unsurprisingly, more than half (53%) said the majority of news and media they consume portray democratic socialism in a favorable light while only 14% said the news and media present a very unfavorable view.
Schools and Churches Push Democratic Socialism: Overall, more than half of young likely voters (52%) said their teachers or professors held a favorable view of democratic socialism. Less than a quarter said their teachers or professors held an unfavorable view. Among all age groups, a solid majority said their teachers and professors generally favored democratic socialist principles in the classroom while only those in the 35-39 cohort felt otherwise, albeit only 49%. In churches, according to those who attend, more said their church portrays democratic socialism favorably (33%) versus 28% who said their church portrays it unfavorably.
The Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center serves as the “tip of the spear” in identifying and confronting the underreported challenges that threaten American sovereignty, individual liberty, and free-market capitalism. The EIC brings these emerging threats to the forefront of public and political awareness, empowering citizens and policymakers alike to act in defense of freedom and a thriving free-market society.
The poll has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
See the full results of the poll below, including some of the key data from the crosstabs.
The following quotes, provided by Heartland Institute experts, can be used for attribution:
“It is hard to believe that a solid majority of young Americans think democratic socialism is the answer to the deep-rooted economic problems they face given that socialism has utterly failed to uplift the downtrodden every time and place it has been implemented. However, when they grow up in an environment surrounded by adults who champion democratic socialism, it starts to make sense. The rise of social media and soundbite news has only made the situation worse because these superficial sources perpetuate the myth that democratic socialism is vogue, feasible, and morally righteous.”
Chris Talgo
Socialism Research Fellow
Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center
The Heartland Institute
ctalgo@heartland.org
312-377-4000 x207
If you’d like to interview a Heartland Institute expert on this topic or other topics, please contact Donald Kendal, the director of the Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center and one of the primary authors of the Heartland/Rasmussen survey, at dkendal@heartland.org, or contact Executive Vice President and Director of Communications Jim Lakely at jlakely@heartland.org. You can also call/text Jim at 312-731-9364.
Survey of 1,496 18-39 US Likely Voters
Conducted October 31 – November 2, 2025, by Rasmussen Reports and
the Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center
- The next presidential election is in 2028. Would you like to see a democratic socialist candidate win the 2028 presidential election?
51% Yes
32% No
17% Not sure
- When thinking about the list below, which has influenced you most to support Democratic Socialism?
27% Parent
17% Online videos or podcasts
10% Books
7% Grandparent
6% Print or digital news publications
5% Television shows
5% Church leader
4% Teacher in college or high school
1% Radio shows
17% Not sure
- To the best of your recollection, when you were growing up, which of the following represents how your parents or guardians felt about Democratic Socialism?
26% Very favorable
28% Somewhat favorable
15% Somewhat unfavorable
19% Very unfavorable
13% Not sure
- To the best of your recollection, when attending school and / or college, which of the following represents how most of your teachers and professors felt about Democratic Socialism?
22% Very favorable
30% Somewhat favorable
17% Somewhat unfavorable
9% Strongly unfavorable
22% Not Sure
- Which of the following represents how the majority of the news media you read, listen to, and / or watch portray Democratic Socialism?
21% Very favorable
32% Somewhat favorable
22% Somewhat unfavorable
14% Strongly unfavorable
12% Not Sure
- If you attend Church, how does the church you attend portray Democratic Socialism?
16% Very favorable
17% Somewhat favorable
15% Somewhat unfavorable
13% Very unfavorable
12% Not sure
28% Don’t attend Church
NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Attachment
Jim Lakely The Heartland Institute 312-731-9364 jlakely@heartland.org
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