Young Americans Show Growing Favorability Toward Democratic Socialism

The CNBC Generation Lab poll of 1,088 respondents ages 18-34, conducted earlier this month, found that 46 % view democratic socialism as “favorable” or “very favorable,” while 23 % hold “somewhat unfavorable” or “very unfavorable” opinions. This is the first time the survey has been run and it coincides with a surge of democratic-socialist candidates winning primaries in states such as New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Washington, D.C.

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When asked to rate the national economy, 45 % described it as “bad,” 27 % as “really bad,” and 6 % said it “couldn’t be worse.” Only 2 % said the economy “couldn’t be better,” and 3 % called it “great.” Optimism about the future is low: 50 % expect the economy to get worse, compared with 22 % who think it will improve. The poll identified housing (45 %) and securing a decent-paying job (39 %) as the top financial stressors, followed by student loans, credit-card debt, and healthcare. As a result, 47 % have postponed vacations, 32 % have delayed car purchases, and 30 % have put off buying a home. Notably, 28 % have foregone healthcare for financial reasons.

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Less than half (45 %) believe AI will negatively affect their careers, while 10 % think it will help. Regarding regulation, 40 % favor federal rules, 36 % prefer an independent expert body, and only 8 % support a “free-for-all” approach. Trust in AI leaders is limited: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella received the highest trust rating at 35 %, whereas Palantir CEO Alex Karp was trusted by just 19 %; CEOs of OpenAI, Meta, Nvidia, and SpaceX each garnered roughly 30 % trust.

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Financial priorities split between saving (53 % keep money in the bank) and discretionary spending (46 % prioritize enjoyment). Debt repayment is prominent, with 38 % focusing on credit-card or college loans. Prediction-market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket are gaining traction: one-third of respondents used them once or twice in the past month, 30 % used them two-to-five times, and 11 % engaged more than once per week. The poll notes a commercial relationship between CNBC and Kalshi involving customer acquisition and a minority investment.

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With 82 days remaining before the midterm elections, the favorable view of democratic socialism among younger voters may influence candidate positioning and campaign strategies, especially as democratic-socialist contenders continue to win primaries across multiple states.

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