CNN analyst Harry Enten said Thursday that the Democratic Party’s far-left wing, including its democratic socialist wing, has gained growing influence within the party’s base. Whereas the party once counted a notable bloc of self-described conservative Democrats, that label appears to be fading, with fewer voters identifying that way. Instead, Enten’s analysis suggests the base is shifting leftward, a movement no doubt in reaction to the political style and populism of the Trump administration.
While it once remained an open question whether the Democrat party might attempt to moderate in reaction to President Trump's victory in 2024, it appears they have chosen to go in the opposite direction. A move that could potentially prove disastrous.
"The far-left is significantly more powerful than they once were," Enten revealed.
"You know, there used to be a lot of conservative Democrats. Right back in 1999, 26 percent of Democrats self-identified as conservative. Just 5 percent said that they were very liberal. It was a smidgen. Now that the far-left has gained considerably in power."
Now we're talking about a fifth of Democrats, 21 percent say they're very liberal. That conservative part of the Democratic Party, adios amigos, goodbye, just 8 percent. And when you combine the 21 percent who are very liberal with those who say that they're somewhat liberal, we're talking about three in five Democrats who identify as either somewhat liberal or very liberal with the very liberals, but much larger portion of the party, the far left, which used to just be a smidgen within the Democratic Party has gained considerable power, as you saw in New Jersey's 11th district.
Enten pointed to New Jersey’s 11th District, where progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia, backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, won her election. While a single victory is not necessarily indicative of a broader political realignment, it comes amid a series of wins by candidates aligned with the party’s progressive wing, as well as a growing number of contenders running openly as democratic socialists.
"What about Democratic Socialists like the likes of, you know, you've got Bernie Sanders and, or Zohran Mamdani here in New York City. Where does that line up?" the CNN host asked.
"Democrats who think of themselves as Democratic Socialists among all Democrats, including those independents who lean towards the Democratic Party. Look at this. We're talking about a third, a third of all Democrats who identify as Democratic Socialists," Enten said. "Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani are not alone. They are a considerable part of the Democratic base at this point."
He went on to reveal that the next generation of Democrats, those under the age of 35, identify with democratic socialism at much higher rates.
And more than that, if you look at Democrats under the age of 35, they are nearly half, nearly half of the Democratic Party. Look at this, 42 percent of Democrats think of themselves as Democratic Socialists under the age of 35, just like Zora Mandani. That, what happened in New York City is not some aberration, right? It is not something that just happened in New York City.
An all-time high, 58%, of voters say the Dem Party is too liberal.
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) February 12, 2026
This comes as 1-in-3 Democrats think of themselves as Democratic Socialists!
And the % of Dems who say they're very liberal has quadrupled since 1999.
NJ-11, NYC mayor & Bernie Sanders are no aberration. pic.twitter.com/J0xuskHgn6
Even as the Democrats become more and more progressive, the silver lining remains that American voters have recognized the shift, and well over half of voters think that the Democratic Party has become too liberal.
"So if the ideology of the Democratic Party is shifting or changing, how are people feeling about it?" Enten asked. "Okay, so we're talking about the Democratic base, right? But what about all, what about all Americans, right? How about all voters, voters who say the Democrats are now too liberal? Look at this percentage. It was 42 percent in 96, 48 percent in 2013. Now, 58 percent in 2025 of all voters say that the Democratic Party is too liberal."
"The Democrats are moving to the left, the far left is gaining power," Enten added, but "there could be some electoral repercussions because what we see right now is voters."
The first real test of those potential repercussions will come in the 2026 midterm elections, when voters will have an opportunity to respond to the Democratic Party’s continued march leftward. If the party’s increasingly progressive posture alienates moderates and independents, we could see a clean sweep by Republicans across the board.