In the Democratic showdown, the debate has shifted to the merits of socialism. For millennials, that might boost Bernie Sanders to an electoral upset.
The Hillary Clinton campaign has used Sanders’ self-described “socialist” political leanings as a way to keep her support in Iowa, according to The Atlantic.
Now that Sanders has built strong support, Clinton has criticized him in debates and at campaign stops. He has a 12-point lead in New Hampshire and pulled within 5 points of her in Iowa. Clinton feels the challenge and has responded accordingly.
Trying to treat the Bern by lambasting his socialist policies, however, might not save Clinton.
Democrats are open to the red flag; a June 2015 Gallup poll found that 59 percent of Democrats are willing to vote for a socialist candidate. If those voters already support Bernie, Clinton is trying to criticize what is appealing about Sanders.
That won’t deter millennials, either. For 18-to-29 year olds, 69 percent would vote for a socialist. For 30-to-49 year olds, 50 percent would vote for a socialist. That’s troubling for a red-baiting tactic.
African Americans have a positive view of socialism as well, but Sanders hasn’t attracted many black supporters. In South Carolina, an overwhelming 80 percent of African-American Democrats support Clinton. The low number of African Americans in Iowa, however, leaves Clinton with little room to maneuver.
Even with a November speech at Georgetown University where Sanders elaborated on his democratic socialists perspective, the definition remains fuzzy.
“Some honest-to-God socialists have lambasted Sanders for offering what they see as socialism-lite; he’s really more of a European-style social democrat, they argue. Meanwhile, plenty of people who say they oppose socialism may (or may not!) be fine with a robust social-safety net, but are wary of a slide into communism,” David Graham wrote for The Atlantic.
American youth aren’t rushing to form clubs dedicated to Marxist-Leninism. Part of the appeal of Bernie Sanders is his skill at channeling anger over economic inequality. Sanders has crafted an image of an outsider willing to stand up to what he refers to as the “billionaire class.” That includes Wall Street and wealthy Americans, a block of donors with whom Clinton has strong support.
For Clinton, the rise of Bernie Sanders has added Democratic pressure to move to the left as she worries about running a viable campaign in a general election if she does so. On this, millennials aren’t likely to rescue her.
