Dangerous Trends: Majority Of Young Americans Favor Socialist Candidates in 2028

A recent Rasmussen poll has sent shockwaves through political circles: 53 percent of likely voters under 40 say they want a socialist candidate to win the 2028 presidential election. Even more alarming, 76 percent of these young voters support nationalizing major industries, from healthcare to energy to big tech. These figures are not merely abstract statistics--they signal a profound shift in the political psyche of a generation that could reshape American governance in ways few fully understand.

The surge in socialist support among youth is deeply intertwined with the education system and broader cultural trends. From college classrooms to social media feeds, young Americans are consistently exposed to narratives framing capitalism as inherently exploitative and unjust. 

Concepts like wealth inequality, corporate influence, and economic privilege dominate discussions, often with little balance or context regarding the benefits of market-driven innovation and personal responsibility. Add to this a curriculum that frequently emphasizes collectivist theories over individual agency, and it is no wonder so many young voters equate government control with fairness and security.

The economic challenges of modern life--soaring housing costs, student debt, and perceived inequities in the labor market--have only intensified these sentiments. According to the Rasmussen poll, 31 percent of young voters cited high housing costs as the primary reason they favor socialism. Another 17 percent believe the U.S. economy disproportionately benefits older, wealthier Americans. These concerns, while real, have been channeled into support for policies that historically have failed wherever implemented at scale.

Socialism promises equity, stability, and universal access to essential services, but the reality is starkly different. From Venezuela to Cuba to the former Soviet Union, socialist experiments have led not to utopia but to economic collapse, scarcity, and political repression. Venezuela, once Latin America's richest country, now faces hyperinflation, food shortages, and mass migration. Cuba continues to struggle with stagnant growth and limited freedom, while Eastern Europe's experience under Soviet socialism demonstrates the costs of centralizing economic control at the expense of innovation and individual initiative. In short, socialism has repeatedly failed to deliver the promised prosperity.

Yet the appeal persists among young Americans, in part because many have become reliant on government intervention in everyday life. Stimulus checks, student loan programs, and expanded welfare benefits have fostered a perception that government is not just a safety net but the ultimate solution to systemic problems. The danger here is profound: when an entire generation sees central control as the key to a "better life," it erodes the cultural memory of past failures and opens the door to policies that could cripple freedom, entrepreneurship, and economic resilience.

Nowhere is this dynamic more visible than in New York City, where socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani's unexpected primary win demonstrates the political potency of these ideas. With nearly 40 percent support in a crowded field, Mamdani has captured the imagination of voters eager for radical change. But what they are likely to find, as history and economic realities suggest, is a city grappling with budget crises, mismanaged public services, and the unintended consequences of overreach. The promise of a socialist utopia--affordable housing, universal healthcare, equitable opportunity--is far easier to advertise than to deliver.

As New York teeters on the edge of a bold experiment in governance, the rest of the nation should pay close attention. What begins as youthful idealism may quickly evolve into economic stagnation, service shortages, and a tightening grip of government bureaucracy. Those who champion socialism often highlight the "equity" it promises, but equity imposed from above comes at the cost of liberty, choice, and innovation. For the young Americans driving this movement, it is a cautionary tale in the making: the lure of government solutions is strong, but the lessons of history are undeniable.

If New York becomes a proving ground for socialist policies, the city's residents may soon discover that the promised egalitarian paradise is, in practice, a complex web of dependency, inefficiency, and constrained opportunity. And when the problems emerge, as they inevitably will, the political and economic fallout could reverberate far beyond city limits--serving as a warning to a nation increasingly captivated by the siren song of socialism.