A recent UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey reveals that nearly 60% of California’s registered Democrats would support a candidate identified as a democratic socialist, compared with just 48% who would back a mainstream Democrat. The poll, conducted among 4,207 California voters in English and Spanish from August 3 to 9, found 58% of Democratic respondents viewed the democratic socialist label positively, while candidates described as “progressive” earned support from 60% of Democrats.
These results underscore a growing leftward shift within the Democratic Party in California—a state long considered a stronghold for progressive voters—and highlight a pronounced generational divide over political direction. Over two-thirds of Democrats under age 40 expressed that the democratic socialist label would increase their likelihood to support a candidate, while fewer than half of those aged 65 and older shared this view.
Older Democratic respondents were twice as likely as younger ones to favor mainstream Democratic candidates. “Particularly frustrated among the younger voting population,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, warning that younger voters’ negative perceptions of mainstream Democrats could become a long-term challenge for the party.
Among all California registered voters, 38% indicated the democratic socialist label would increase their support for a candidate, while an equal percentage said it would decrease that support. By contrast, only 29% viewed mainstream Democrats favorably, with 36% less inclined to back such candidates.
The findings come as Republicans intensify efforts to frame socialism as a campaign issue. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) recently cautioned that young Americans “have not been taught the truth about socialism and communism,” while President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders have increasingly linked Democrats to socialist movements.
The debate has also exposed divisions within the Democratic Party. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) stated he does not support the Democratic Socialists of America agenda, as establishment Democrats express concerns that moving further left could weaken their chances in a presidential election. The survey included weighted samples of 1,905 Democrats and 1,060 Republicans.
