Poll: How Socialism & Negative Emotions Are Driving the Election and Trump Defection

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 9, 2026) – Cygnal released findings from its September National Voter Trends poll of 1,500 likely 2026 general-election voters (conducted September 1–2). The survey finds socialism has become an acceptable political identity for a meaningful share of the electorate, especially younger voters and renters, even as most voters who embrace the label cannot correctly define it.

“Socialism is gaining ground as a vibe or mood combined with a protest mindset against an economy people believe has stopped working for them,” said CEO and Pollster, Brent Buchanan. “Voters hear the word and think about healthcare, housing, corporate power, and whether ordinary people can still get ahead – basically the modern, expanded welfare state. They are not asking for government ownership of the economy. They are reacting to a system where the path to a stable life feels further away every year. The disconnect between what socialism is and what voters want politicians to deliver on has created enough space for DSA candidates to make their pitch to voters as issue-based solutions rather than which system is preferrable nationwide. These candidates speak to the immediate needs of voters, whereas the alarm bells against socialism exist in a distant future voters are already very uncertain about.”

Data vs. Dogma:

Dogma: Support for socialism reflects a growing public embrace of government control over the economy and private enterprise.

Data: The September NVT finds that socialism is now favorable with 33 percent of voters, while 17 percent describe themselves as socialists and another 20 percent say they are a mix of capitalist and socialist. Yet only 18 percent define socialism as government control of the economy and the means of production, while 61 percent of self-identified socialists fall into the lowest tier of Cygnal’s Socialism Knowledge Index.

“The word is doing a lot of work for people,” said Buchanan. “For some voters, it is a way to say that the rules feel rigged, the biggest companies have too much say, and the basic milestones of adulthood are getting harder to reach. That feeling creates political room for anyone willing to name the problem plainly and offer something more credible than the status quo.”

Top Takeaways:

Homeownership anxiety is fueling socialism’s appeal among younger voters.
Socialist self-identification reaches 29 percent among voters under 45, compared with 11 percent among voters 65 and older. Socialist curiosity reaches 48 percent among voters under 45, 51 percent among renters, and 51 percent among aspiring homebuyers who say they want to buy but cannot afford to do so now.

“Renting alone does not create a political identity,” said Mitch Brown, Partner and Pollster at Cygnal. “The sharper change comes when people expect to own a home, take the steps previous generations took to get there, and conclude that the ladder has been pulled away. Socialism gives that frustration a language, even when voters using the label are talking about housing mobility, affordable childcare, and a fairer chance to get ahead in the system they were sold. The pitch has a real appeal for young people who feel priced out, but its promised destination has a long record of failure. If affordability remains out of reach, socialist candidates will keep finding an audience among voters who see no path forward.”

Data centers face a trust problem centered on power bills and accountability.
Voters view data-center construction negatively by a 44 percent to 22 percent margin, while 26 percent see both positive and negative effects. Awareness is high, but 38 percent still do not know where the nearest data center islocated. Men are substantially more likely than women to see a positive national impact, while women are more likely to see a negative one.

Eighty-five percent support laws requiring AI data centers to pay the full cost of new power plants and grid upgrades needed to serve them, rather than relying on voluntary corporate commitments. The finding comes as skepticism remains high that voluntary pledges will prevent electricity costs from reaching residential customers.

Trump’s defectors remain alienated from both parties, but Republicans are losing the motivation fight.
Of Trump’s 2024 voters, 88 percent still intend to vote Republican, 7 percent are undecided, and 5 percent now favor Democrats. These voters dislike Democrats in Congress more than Republicans in Congress, but Trump’s image is underwater with them and their motivation is weaker than the GOP base. Seventy-six percent of Harris 2024 voters say they are extremely motivated to vote, compared with 59 percent of Trump 2024 voters.

Democrats lead the generic ballot as intensity continues to move left.
Democrats gained on the generic congressional ballot, now at 51 percent to 42 percent, a 9-point advantage. Definitely Democratic reached 43 percent, the highest level in the past 32 months, while definitely Republican fell to 32 percent, the lowest reading in that period. The shift extends to non-college voters, who now favor Democrats 48 percent to 45 percent, reversing a key part of the GOP’s 2024 coalition advantage and the GOP’s Diploma Divide advantage of the last multiple cycles.

Voters are broadly negative about politics, and anger is boosting Democratic intensity.
Eighty-eight percent report at least one negative emotion about politics, while only 25 percent report any positive emotion. Anger, disgust, and exhaustion dominate the emotional landscape, and angry voters are more likely to say they are extremely motivated and more likely to back Democrats. The deck finds that much of this negative feeling is untethered to a single party or target, creating a potentially movable audience that is frustrated with politics as a whole.

Data Nuggets:

Inflation remains the top priority for Congress. Twenty-seven percent name inflation and the economy as their top issue, including especially high concern among Hispanic voters.

Voters remain deeply pessimistic about the country’s direction. Sixty-one percent say the country is on the wrong track, compared with 36 percent who say it is headed in the right direction.

The electorate still favors markets over socialism, but not as much capitalism. Sixty-one percent view the free market favorably, while capitalism holds a 57 percent favorable rating and socialism remains underwater overall, with 33 percent favorable and 52 percent unfavorable.

The most difficult voters to reach may be the ones campaigns need most. Swing and undecided voters have the lowest scores on Cygnal’s Reachability Index, are more likely to avoid political content, and are harder to reach through traditional paid-media tactics.

Nuclear power continues to gain ground. Support for building new nuclear plants rose five points since May, while opposition declined three points.

Voters place responsibility for higher electric bills across multiple targets. Utility-company profits, aging grid infrastructure, state policies and regulations, and AI-driven electricity demand all rose as cited sources of blame since May.

###

Led by CEO and pollster Brent Buchanan, author of America’s Emotional Divide, Cygnal is an award-winning international public opinion and predictive analytics firm that has revolutionized the polling industry with multi-mode polling, message mapping, and emotional analytics. Recognized as the #1 private pollster by the Silver Bulletin and The New York Times, the firm boasts an impressive 95 percent accuracy rating in the 2024 election cycle. With experience in all 50 U.S. states and over 20 countries, Cygnal has strategically guided over 3,100 campaigns and conducted more than 4,800 polls. Its client roster includes high-profile figures such as Governors Greg Abbott and Brian Kemp, along with numerous other Members of Congress, state legislators, caucuses, corporations, and trade associations, solidifying Cygnal as a clear leader in political polling and analytics.