Rep. Gwen Moore, a Democrat from Wisconsin, said during a C-SPAN appearance that members of her party should embrace the term 'socialist' rather than shy away from it. Moore argued that Republican critics label standard government regulations as socialism.
'Regulating industry so that they don't dump poison into the water and the air, they want to call that socialist,' Moore said. 'To try to have alternative energy sources and to diminish our fossil fuel imprint, they call that socialist. So I think that Democrats have got to stop being shy about that term.'
What the Left Is Saying
Moore pointed to former President Bill Clinton's observation that if American Democrats were in Europe, they would constitute five different parties—from labor to progressive to liberal—arguing this represents a 'big tent' approach. 'We are a big tent,' Moore said.
The Democratic Socialists of America has advocated for significant policy changes, including abolishing the Senate to make the nation 'more democratic.' DSA Co-Chair Maria Svart stated in interviews that such proposals are not extreme positions within their movement.
Progressive groups argue that environmental protections, healthcare expansion, and worker protections have been successfully implemented across Western democracies without the failures seen in countries like Venezuela, which they attribute to corruption and authoritarian governance rather than socialist economic principles.
What the Right Is Saying
The Republican National Committee highlighted Moore's comments through its research arm, arguing the remarks reveal a broader ideological shift within the Democratic Party. The RNC pointed to what it called 'Democrats embracing the socialist label.'
Several prominent Democrats have publicly opposed the term and those who embrace it. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has been a vocal critic of socialists within the party. Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, former Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and comedian Bill Maher have also spoken out against socialist ideology in Democratic politics.
Conservative critics argue that countries where socialism has been implemented, including Venezuela, have experienced economic collapse and humanitarian crises. They contend that embracing the term—even in a limited sense—normalizes policies they describe as harmful to economic growth and individual liberty.
What the Numbers Show
According to Gallup polling from recent years, approximately 57% of Americans view socialism negatively, while 43% view it positively. Among Democrats specifically, favorable views of socialism have increased over the past decade, though significant divisions exist within the party.
The Democratic Socialists of America reported having approximately 90,000 members as of recent counts, making it one of the largest socialist organizations in recent American political history. DSA-affiliated candidates have won races in several cities and states.
A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 52% of liberal Democrats held favorable views of socialism, compared to 38% of moderate Democrats—a split party strategists in both parties have noted when discussing electoral implications.
The Bottom Line
Moore's comments highlight an ongoing debate within the Democratic Party about how to respond to Republican framing around economic policy. Whether this represents a broader shift or remains a position held by a faction within the party will likely be tested in upcoming elections and primary contests.
The tension between progressive members who embrace broader government intervention and more moderate Democrats who have reservations is not new, but Moore's explicit call to own the term marks a specific rhetorical approach. What effect this strategy has on electoral outcomes remains to be seen as voters assess economic policies through their own frameworks.