CNN data reporter Harry Enten presents poll numbers on how the electorate feels about the Democratic Party.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, we are weeks away from the first primaries of the midterm elections. And Democrats are clearly hoping to do well enough to win back power in the House, the Senate. And with that, some of the spotlight is on New Jersey, the 11th congressional district, where Democrats were pitted against each other until former Congressman Tom Malinowski dropped out, conceding to a more progressive far left candidate now in the race. CNN’s Harry Enten is joining us now to run the numbers on that. And this gets at a question that has really been swirling amongst the Democratic Party since the 2024 election, which is, where is the majority of this party, and what do we need to do in order to win? HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Yes, I think that’s right. And I think the results from that special election, that Democratic primary in the 11th District of New Jersey, speak to a larger point within the Democratic Party, and that is that the far left is significantly more powerful than they once were. This sort of gives the game away here. Democrats who identify as very liberal or conservative. You know, there used to be a lot of conservative Democrats, right? Back in 1999, 26 percent of Democrats self-identified as conservative Just five percent said that they were very liberal. It was a smidgen, a smidgen, a smidgen. Now, that far left has gained considerably in power. Look at this. 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 eight 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, a 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. BOLDUAN: What about Democratic socialists like the likes of, you know, we’ve got Bernie Sanders and — or Zohran Mamdani here in New York City? Where does that line up? ENTEN: OK. So, on a separate question where you — essentially CNN asked this last year, which was, OK, 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 socialist. Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani are not alone. They are a considerable part of the Democratic base at this point. 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 Zohran Mamdani. That — what happened to New York City is not some aberration, right? It is not something that just happened in New York City. It is something that we are seeing grow within the Democratic Party at this particular point, when we’re talking about 42 percent of Democrats under the age of 35 identifying as Democratic socialists and a third of all Democrats, my goodness gracious. BOLDUAN: So, if the ideology of the Democratic Party is shifting or changing — ENTEN: Yes. BOLDUAN: How are people feeling about it? ENTEN: OK, so we’re talking about the Democratic base, right? But what about all the — 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 Democrat — of all voters say that the Democratic Party is too liberal. The Democrats are moving to the left, the far left is gaining power, and there could be some electoral repercussions because what we see right now is voters, the clear majority, say that they are too liberal. BOLDUAN: This is really interesting. Thanks so much, Harry. ENTEN: Thank you, Kate.

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