Democratic socialist candidates surged across 2026 primary elections, ousting veteran incumbents in New York, Colorado, Wisconsin and other states, even as polling reveals deep divisions among Americans over the movement’s future appeal. Over 30 DSA-backed candidates won their primaries this cycle, according to election data, marking the strongest showing yet for the democratic socialist movement since Bernie Sanders brought it into the mainstream during his 2016 presidential campaign.
The victories have been concentrated in deep-blue districts. Self-described democratic socialist Melat Kiros defeated U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District on June 30, while in New York, candidates endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America won a slate of congressional primaries in June. Brad Lander defeated U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th Congressional District; Darializa Avila Chevalier overcame Adriano Espaillat in the 13th; and Claire Valdez defeated Antonio Reynoso in the 7th. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist leading Wisconsin’s gubernatorial primary with 38% support, represents the movement’s push into swing-state races.
According to Nick Beauchamp, an associate professor of political science at Northeastern University, the wins reflect generational and anti-incumbent sentiment more than a unified embrace of socialist ideology. “It’s definitely generational; it’s definitely anti-incumbent,” Beauchamp said, noting that younger voters confronting skyrocketing housing costs, lingering student debt, widening inequality and pessimism about upward mobility have fueled appetite for candidates promising sweeping economic change.
Democratic socialism advocates for more public control over the economy and a more expansive role for government in providing social services, encompassing workers’ rights, immigration reform, progressive tax policies, universal healthcare and affordable housing. The movement’s recent gains in New York were especially pronounced around debates over Israel’s war in Gaza and the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with candidates like Chevalier and Valdez campaigning against the influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups and pushing for ICE abolition.
Americans Remain Divided on Democratic Socialism
Yet public opinion polls reveal stark divisions about democratic socialism’s electoral viability. A Washington Post-Ipsos poll released July 30 found that 55 percent of Americans would not consider voting for a democratic socialist for president, while 39 percent would consider supporting one. Among Democrats specifically, the picture is starkly different: three in four Democrats say they would be open to supporting a democratic socialist for president.
Among younger adults, the DSA faces mixed sentiment. Adults ages 18 to 29 give the DSA a 28 percent favorable rating compared with a 40 percent unfavorable rating, according to a June Pew Research survey. The disparity widens with age: adults 30 to 44 show only 18 percent favorable and 45 percent unfavorable views of the organization.
Lucas Holtz, a senior political adviser with Third Way, a national think tank, characterized the dynamic as two competing projects within the Democratic Party. The DSA vision strengthens support in already-blue areas, while the other path involves flipping red and purple states and countering the Trump-led Republican movement. “The DSA’s message simply does not sell in those areas,” Holtz said in an email, noting that Democratic Senate candidates in battleground states are running as mainstream center-left Democrats to escape the party’s far-left brand.
Beauchamp cautioned against overstating the significance of the primary wins. Historically, he noted, challengers benefit from embracing insurgent labels to distinguish themselves from entrenched party leaders, while incumbents avoid such labels to attract wider coalitions. Whether democratic socialism maintains momentum into the general election remains uncertain, especially given that the ideology polls more favorably with Gen Z and millennials than with older voters overall.
Sources
- The Washington Post — polling showing 55% of Americans would not vote for a democratic socialist president, while 75% of Democrats would consider it
- Northeastern University News — expert analysis from Nick Beauchamp on generational and anti-incumbent drivers of democratic socialist wins; economic factors fueling the movement; polling on DSA favorability among age groups; commentary from Lucas Holtz on competing Democratic visions
- DataForSEO search results — confirmation of Melat Kiros defeating Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st District on June 30; victories by Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and Claire Valdez in New York congressional primaries; over 30 DSA-backed candidates winning primaries; Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign as origin of mainstream democratic socialism movement
- Internal election data — Francesca Hong’s 38% support in Wisconsin gubernatorial primary
