Democratic strategists are wrestling with a thorny political problem as they try to rebuild support among Hispanic voters: the growing visibility of democratic socialism within their own ranks. The label, they say, is a liability with a key voting bloc that helped cost them the 2024 election, and it could haunt them again in 2028 if centrists don't push back.
"Socialism is a nonstarter in places like Florida, where there are big swaths of Hispanic voters," said a Democratic strategist based in the state. "The word in and of itself is toxic." The strategist pointed to Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, the Democratic Senate candidate, whose membership in the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is seen as a drag on her chances in the Sunshine State. Though the DSA did not officially back Nixon, who upset Alex Vindman in the primary, the strategist argued the association is damaging. "You can't be half-pregnant," they said. "The toothpaste is out of the tube, and I don't think she can navigate that."
Polling underscores the challenge. A Pew Research Center survey released earlier this year found that only 20% of Hispanic Democratic voters view democratic socialists favorably, compared with 40% of white Democrats. A 2022 Pew poll showed that 53% of Latino respondents had a negative impression of socialism, while 82% of Cuban Americans and 64% of Puerto Ricans held unfavorable views. The skepticism was softer among Mexican and South American respondents, but still significant.
Democratic strategist Luis Miranda, who served as director of Hispanic media in the Obama White House, said the concern is rooted in lived experience. "I saw what the extremes did in the country I was born in, both the far right and the far left," said Miranda, who is Colombian American. "For a lot of Latinos, they're going to feel that intrinsically." He noted that the recent election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has "helped to ease some concerns," but he urged Democrats to distance themselves from the DSA's more radical positions, such as abolishing the Senate and the presidency.
Historically, Hispanic members have been a small fraction of the DSA. The group's 2021 national membership survey found that 9% identified as Hispanic, and an internal New York City survey this year put that figure at 14%, while 60% of respondents were white. Among younger Hispanic voters, however, attitudes may be shifting. The 2022 Pew poll found that 46% of Latinos aged 18-29 viewed socialism positively, compared with about a third of those 50 and older.
There are also signs that DSA-backed candidates can win over Hispanic voters in certain contexts. Claire Valdez, a union organizer endorsed by the DSA, won predominantly Hispanic precincts by more than 30 points in her primary. Darializa Avila Chevalier, who speaks Spanish and has lived in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in a primary, though Espaillat won Hispanic-plurality precincts by 4 points, while Avila Chevalier's support came mainly from Black and non-Hispanic white areas, according to a Washington Post analysis. The race has sparked debate about the party's direction, as seen in her attacks on Democrats who backed an anti-socialism resolution.
Stephanie Valencia, CEO of Equis Research, which studies Latino voters, cautioned that the "socialism" label is not a simple political weapon. "Especially because 'socialism' isn't just one issue. It can and does mean different things to different people," she said. "And those meanings can shift over time, as the political debate evolves and the issue landscape shifts." Valencia added, "Will a socialism attack be effective against Democrats today, when many Latinos can't afford to fill up their gas tanks and see Trump deporting their neighbors?"
As Democrats navigate this terrain, some are urging a focus on economic messaging rather than ideological labels. The party's recent efforts to unify around centrist defectors may be part of that strategy. But with the 2028 presidential race looming, the tension between progressive energy and electoral pragmatism remains unresolved.
