Pollster says the term ‘socialism’ will make for good political football in 2020

Pollster Lee Miringoff predicted on Hill.TV’s “What America’s Thinking” that the term “socialism” will make for “good political football” during the 2020 presidential campaign. 

“When you start talking about things like life insurance, 401Ks, anything of that sort, well, those are going to be capitalist because they’re in the private sector,” Miringoff, the director of the Marist Poll, told host Krystal Ball.

“But some of these things that the Democrats are proposing now, the ‘Green New Deal’ … they’re sort of new, and people are sort of thinking ‘well, that might be progressive slash socialist,’ ” he continued. 

“I think it’s going to become good political football during the campaigns because you can sort of use the tags to mean stuff,” he said.

Various Democratic 2020 contenders have signaled their support for progressive proposals, including the Green New Deal, “Medicare for All” and raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans. 

However, some candidates have sought to distance themselves from the socialist label. 

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) told reporters in New Hampshire that she is “not a democratic socialist,” a label worn publicly by fellow 2020 contender Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). 

— Julia Manchester