Socialist America is on the rise among Democrats… and it could be led into the White House by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
The radical Ocasio-Cortez is the most popular Democratic leader among young voters in a hypothetical 2028 presidential primary, according to a new Yale Youth Poll released Monday.
The self-described democratic socialist from New York holds leads over former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom among Democrats under 35… and the other contenders are not even very close.
Among registered Democrats ages 18-22, 30 percent would back Ocasio-Cortez, 20 percent would support Harris, and 12 percent would vote for Newsom in the Democratic primary.
Among Democrats ages 23-29, 35 percent would back Ocasio-Cortez, 15 percent would vote Harris, and 14 percent would go for Newsom.
And among 30-34-year-old Democratic voters, 29 percent would support Ocasio-Cortez, 15 percent would back Newsom, and 14 percent would go for Harris.
When expanded, the poll shows a different picture when looking at all Democratic-leaning voters. Across all demographics, Newsom leads with 25 percent of Democratic voters overall backing the California governor, 18 percent supporting Harris, 16 percent backing Ocasio-Cortez, 14 percent supporting former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and 4 percent supporting Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
The Yale Youth Poll surveyed 3,426 registered voters online from October 29 to November 11, 2025, including 1,706 voters aged 18-34.
The shift among Democrats to the far-Left is pronounced… but the more radical the Democrats get, the more conservative the generation is becoming.
The undergraduate-led poll found 46 percent of voters younger than age 30 self-identified as liberal, an increase from spring polling which found 39 percent of voters younger than age 30 called themselves liberal. However, 40 percent of those aged 18 to 22 years old and 38 percent of those 23 to 29 years old identified as conservative.
Ocasio-Cortez has fueled speculation about a possible 2028 presidential bid. In September, allies acknowledged she is weighing options including a potential run for president and a possible Senate bid.
Newsom said in October that he was also thinking about running for president in 2028. Harris, who lost the 2024 election in a landslide to President Donald Trump, has also hinted at a comeback bid in 2028.
Democrats lack an obvious leader to put forward as a candidate after losing the White House, Senate and House in that election.
The party is struggling to find direction and a message that appeals to their increasingly radical base, which Ocasio-Cortez could capitalize on.
Only time will tell.