Voters prefer democratic socialist candidates to MAGA Republicans, new poll finds, as GOP politicians distance themselves from President Donald Trump
A new poll has shown that registered voters would rather vote for a democratic socialist than a MAGA Republican, at a time when GOP candidates are apparently distancing themselves from President Donald Trump ahead of the midterms. The poll came as Democrats plan to cash in on Trump’s increasing unpopularity and his underwater approval ratings as they try to win back both chambers of Congress.
Democratic socialists outpoll MAGA Republicans in new survey
According to a new poll from YouGov/The Economist, 51% of registered voters said they would rather vote for a democratic socialist who supports Medicare for All, ending military aid to Israel and abolishing ICE. In comparison, only 34% of voters said they would vote for a MAGA Republican who embraces mass deportations and always votes with Trump. Furthermore, 48% of voters said they prefer a democratic socialist candidate, while 40% said they would rather vote for a conservative Republican candidate who supports tax cuts, repealing Obamacare and a ban on most abortions. In addition, 55% said they would pick a liberal Democrat who would protect Obamacare (ACA), increase support for childcare and housing and oppose tariffs, while 34% would pick a MAGA Republican.
Poll spells bad news for Republicans
The poll also found that 46% said they would pick a Democratic candidate for Senate in the upcoming midterms, compared to 38% who would choose a Republican. For the House, 45% said they would pick the Democratic candidate in their district, while 36% said they would pick the Republican. With Republicans fighting to retain their narrow majority in Congress, the public preference reflected in the YouGov/The Economist poll could spell bad news for the GOP.
The poll results come despite the GOP’s relentless efforts to establish themselves as the commonsense option, positioning Democrats as far-left, radical lunatics who intend to upend everything congressional Republicans have achieved over the last two years.
Democratic socialists gain ground
The poll also comes at a time when Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed candidates continue to gain ground, despite the reported internal friction between them and establishment Democrats. Democratic socialists have been able to maintain their momentum through key primary contests in this election cycle. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the main flag-bearers of the democratic socialist movement, and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib have already secured their nominations, while Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, a noted DSA member, defeated retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in the August 18 Senate primary and will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in November. Nixon’s advancement is notable as Florida has not elected a Democrat for statewide office since 2018 — let alone a democratic socialist.
Republicans show trend of breaking with Donald Trump
Several Republican candidates have shown a trend of distancing themselves from Trump, as experts have predicted that the president’s plummeting numbers in polls might rub off on GOP candidates’ campaigns, although many of them were endorsed by Trump.
Republican Florida gubernatorial nominee Byron Donalds removed several references to Trump from his campaign website, although his campaign said that he is “proud to have President Trump’s endorsement.” The change came as polls suggested a tightening race against Democratic nominee David Jolly.
Republican Iowa Senate nominee Ashley Hinson, meanwhile, recently broke with Trump on the Iran war, calling for an immediate and successful end to the military offensive that has resulted in higher fuel costs and reported depletion of U.S. military resources — and has already cost the Department of Defense $43.6 billion as of early September, according to the Pentagon’s latest figures provided to Congress.