Siena Poll Finds New York Voters Sour on Democratic Socialists of America

The Democratic Socialists of America may be gaining political muscle in New York City.

But statewide, New Yorkers aren’t sold.

A new Siena University poll finds just 30% of likely New York voters have a favorable view of the DSA, compared with 47% who view the organization unfavorably. Another 23% either don’t know enough or have no opinion.

That puts the socialist organization 17 points underwater statewide — even as DSA-backed politicians have scored a string of high-profile victories in New York City and Albany.

The divide gets even sharper once you leave the five boroughs.

In New York City, 49% of likely voters view the DSA favorably. But support plunges to just 16% in the downstate suburbs and 27% upstate, according to Siena’s polling and crosstab data reported Wednesday.

In other words: the DSA may have a powerful political base in the Big Apple, but that enthusiasm isn’t traveling very far past the city limits.

The numbers come as the socialist movement enjoys unprecedented visibility in New York politics following the rise of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a series of DSA-backed victories in Democratic legislative primaries.

But the same brand producing victories in deeply blue districts could prove far more difficult to sell statewide.

Jewish voters were particularly negative toward the organization, with 71% telling Siena they viewed the DSA unfavorably, according to the poll’s demographic breakdown.

That comes amid growing scrutiny of the DSA’s rhetoric and activism surrounding Israel and the war in Gaza, including recent controversial statements by prominent organization leaders.

The partisan split is equally stark.

Half of Democrats — 50% — view the DSA favorably, while 21% view it negatively and 29% remain undecided.

Republicans want virtually nothing to do with it: 82% hold an unfavorable view.

And independents aren’t much warmer.

Fifty-seven percent of likely independent voters view the DSA unfavorably, while roughly a quarter view it favorably.

That independent number could be the biggest warning sign of all.

DSA candidates can thrive in heavily Democratic districts where winning the primary effectively decides the race. But statewide candidates have to win suburbanites, independents and voters outside New York City — precisely the groups showing the deepest resistance to the socialist brand.

Siena surveyed 811 likely New York voters from August 3 through August 6. The poll has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points for its core questions.

And this was the first time Siena asked likely New York voters what they thought of the DSA.

Their first impression?

More negative than positive — by a lot.

Half of New Yorkers oppose lefty DSA movement, new poll shows https://t.co/uTUL0Lr0vk pic.twitter.com/kj8jcqQrdi

— New York Post (@nypost) August 12, 2026