A Gallup poll conducted in August found that 43% of Americans view socialism positively, its highest rating since the firm began asking in 2010. Independents' positive view rose 8 points to 45%; capitalism had a 55% rating and free enterprise 77%.
Gallup found socialism more positively viewed by people of color and adults earning under $100,000 than by white adults and those earning above that amount, with similar views among college graduates and non-graduates. A separate Siena survey of likely voters found socialism's net favorability negative in all four regions, from -8 in the West to -27 in the South; it was +4 among Black and Latino voters and -26 among white voters. The article cautions that polls are snapshots, not election results.
Among Democratic voters, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was viewed slightly more favorably than New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, but Mamdani led among all likely voters; Ocasio-Cortez's overall net rating with likely voters was -11. She is weighing a possible 2028 presidential run. A cited survey also found more than 81% of Democratic voters consider candidates' foreign-policy views important.
