Democratic socialists top MAGA candidates in CNBC’s ‘All America’ poll

More voters would be more likely to support a democratic socialist candidate than a Make America Great Again supporter or a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump, the CNBC All-America Economic Survey released Friday found.

The survey’s findings come as democratic socialist candidates win Democratic primaries across the country following the November election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The shift has become a lightning rod for Republicans, who are aggressively branding Democrats as communists.

The results indicate that even with a number of self-described democratic socialists on the ballot, Democrats will have the upper hand heading into November’s midterm election, which is widely viewed as a referendum on Trump. It also suggests voters are warming to the idea of a more muscular federal government that provides more services in exchange for higher taxes.

The poll found that 32% of registered voters would be more likely to vote for a candidate if they describe themselves as a Democratic socialist, while 50% would be less likely to vote for such a candidate. Twenty-nine percent of voters would be more likely to vote for a candidate with Trump’s endorsement, while 52% would be less likely. A candidate who describes themself as a supporter of the MAGA movement does even worse, with only 27% of voters saying that would make them more likely to vote for them and 57% saying it would make their vote less likely.

CNBC’s All America poll was conducted on July 8-12 with 1,000 registered voters in the U.S., in conjunction with Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies. It has a margin of error of +/-3.1%.

Many of the democratic socialists set to be on the ballot this year are calling for increased taxes on the wealthiest in America to fund universal healthcare, a higher minimum wage and universal basic income.

Their elections would be unlikely to spur an immediate change in policy, given Republicans’ control of the White House through 2028. But it would mean a more adversarial relationship between Congress and the executive branch that could stall legislation the Trump administration favors, while offering a window into how Democrats would govern if they retake the White House in 2028.

Democrats also notch a four percentage-point lead in the generic ballot, with 49% of voters saying they would prefer a Democrat-controlled Congress and 45% preferring Republican control.

The survey found the president’s approval rating at 40%, with 59% disapproving, one point worse than the April survey. Sixty percent disapprove of his handling of the economy, also a point worse than April,…