SCHAUMBURG, IL, Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A shocking new poll by The Heartland Institute’s Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center and Rasmussen Reports reveals that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s democratic socialist policies are widely supported by young Americans across the political spectrum, who overwhelmingly believe the cost of housing in America has reached a crisis level.
The survey found that even four-in-10 young Americans who voted for President Trump in 2024 have a favorable view Mamdani and nearly half support Mamdani’s campaign policies at a national level.
The survey, designed by The Heartland Institute, included 1,496 likely voters aged 18-39. It was completed on November 2, 2025.
See the poll questions and the crosstabs here.
Housing Affordability Crisis: Seventy-four percent of young Americans, including 70% of self-identified conservatives, believe the “cost of housing in America has reached a crisis level.” More than half (56%) of self-identified conservatives would support a congressional proposal to expand government housing and a nationwide rent freeze. In the 2028 election, 42% of Democrats said they would vote for a Republican presidential candidate if he or she offered the best plan to reduce housing costs while 45% of Republicans would support a Democratic presidential candidate if he or she offered the best plan to reduce the cost of housing.
Government-Run Grocery Stores: A strong majority of likely young voters favor Mamdani’s idea for the government to address the rising cost of food by opening government-run grocery stores in every town in America. More than half of conservatives (53%) and moderates (53%) support government-run grocery stores in order to reduce the rising cost of food.
Democratic Socialism Could Win Big in 2028: More than half of young likely voters (51%) say they would like to see a democratic socialist win the White House in 2028, with those aged 18-24 most supportive at 57%. Surprisingly, this includes 42% of conservatives, 42% of moderates, and 66% of those making more than $200,000 per year. Among the few cohorts who would not support a democratic socialist presidential candidate in 2028 are those earning $100,000-$200,000 per year and those with a high school diploma/some college. Those without a high school diploma (59%), college graduates (51%), as well as those with a graduate degree (62%) would like to see a democratic socialist in the Oval Office as soon as 2028.
The Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center serves as the “tip of the spear” in identifying and confronting the underreported challenges that threaten American sovereignty, individual liberty, and free-market capitalism. The EIC brings these emerging threats to the forefront of public and political awareness, empowering citizens and policymakers alike to act in defense of freedom and a thriving free-market society.
The poll has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
See the full results of the poll below, including some of the key data from the crosstabs.
The following quotes, provided by Heartland Institute experts, can be used for attribution:
“Zohran Mamdani is a savvy politician who makes socialism sound reasonable in soundbites on social media. He repeats socialist slogans and presents simple solutions to complicated, intractable problems. Like it or not, socialism with a smile is resonating among young people who want to believe that these bumper sticker plans will actually address the affordability crisis that makes them feel like the American dream is no longer attainable. As such, it is incumbent upon leaders from both political parties to present alternative solutions to the cost-of-living crisis or else the United States of America could become the United Socialist States of America.”
Chris Talgo
Socialism Research Fellow
Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center
The Heartland Institute
ctalgo@heartland.org
312-731-9364 x207
If you’d like to interview a Heartland Institute expert on this topic or other topics, please contact Donald Kendal, the director of the Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center and one of the primary authors of the Heartland/Rasmussen survey, at dkendal@heartland.org, or contact Executive Vice President and Director of Communications Jim Lakely at jlakely@heartland.org. You can also call/text Jim at 312-731-9364.
Survey of 1,496 18-39 US Likely Voters
Conducted October 31 – November 2, 2025, by Rasmussen Reports and
the Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center
- The next presidential election is in 2028. Would you like to see a democratic socialist candidate win the 2028 presidential election?
51% Yes
32% No
17% Not sure
- Has the cost of housing in America reached a crisis level?
74% Yes
17% No
9% Not sure
- Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, is currently the front-runner to win New York's next mayoral race. Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable impression of Mamdani?
26% Very favorable
26% Somewhat favorable
12% Somewhat unfavorable
12% Very unfavorable
24% Not sure
- Mamdani's policy platform includes a proposal to create government-owned grocery stores, to help reduce the rising cost of food. Would you support a law that would expand Mamdani's proposal for government-run grocery stores to every town in America?
27% Strongly support
31% Somewhat support
15% Strongly oppose
15% Somewhat oppose
13% Not Sure
- Mamdani's policy platform includes a proposal to freeze rent in many of the city's apartments and to build 200,000 new rent-regulated apartments. Would you support a proposal in Congress to expand Mamdani's plan for more government housing and rent freeze nationwide?
32% Strongly support
30% Somewhat support
14% Somewhat oppose
12% Strongly oppose
11% Not Sure
- Are you more likely to vote for a Democrat, Republican, or a candidate from another political party in the 2028 president election?
46% Democrat
31% Republican
10% Another party
12% Not sure
- Would you be willing to vote for a Republican presidential candidate if you believed he or she offered the best plan to reduce the cost of housing?
42% Yes
36% No
22% Not sure
- Would you be willing to vote for a Democrat presidential candidate if you believed he or she offered the best plan to reduce the cost of housing?
45% Yes
38% No
17% Not sure
NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence
Attachment
Jim Lakely The Heartland Institute 312-731-9364 jlakely@heartland.org
