Bernie Sanders' views on Socialism in sync with younger voters By Luke Perry

Bernie Sanders’ popularity among 18 to 29 year old likely voters has risen to 38 percent, per the latest Forbes Under 30 Survey conducted by John Zogby Strategies, a six point increase from last month.  

Sanders decidedly lost South Carolina, in which younger voters comprised 11 percent of the electorate, winning 43 percent of the young adult vote.

71 percent of South Carolina primary voters were over 45 years old. Joe Biden won this demographic with majority support, far outpacing his nearest rivals.

Photo from Boston Globe

Sanders made news last week for comments complimenting aspects of the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro, including the advancement of literacy under Castro’s communist regime.

Conventional wisdom suggests that praising a Cold War antagonist would be political damaging for Sanders, but this does not appear to be the case among young Democrats.

Graphic from John Zogby Strategies

U.S. voters under 30 have a positive impression of socialism, 43 percent to 39 percent.

Capitalism is viewed more positively, 50 percent to 33 percent, while  a “mainly capitalist system” is preferred to a “mainly socialist system.”

Nearly 75 percent of Democratic voters under 30 view socialism favorably, including almost 20 percent, “very favorably.”

These Democrats strongly prefer a mainly socialist system to a mainly capitalist one.

Most Republican voters under 30 view socialism unfavorably, including 44 percent, “very unfavorably.” Still, 1 in 4 of these Republicans viewed socialism favorably.

Nearly half of independent voters under 30 view socialism favorably, eight points higher than those who view socialism unfavorably.

Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College