Hakeem Jeffries Punts On Adopting Socialist Agenda As New Polling Shows Dems Embracing It Over Capitalism

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Kristen Welker during a Sunday “Meet the Press” interview that he doesn’t support the Democratic Socialists of America’s agenda.

Democratic New York Rep. Jeffries told the NBC News host he doesn’t support the Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) current agenda, despite leaving the door open for more DSA-aligned candidates to join his caucus in January 2027.

Neither the House minority leader’s office nor the DSA not immediately responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

WATCH:

“Do democratic socialists belong in the Democratic Party?” Welker asked the House minority leader in light of the convention the DSA held in Chicago from July 31 to Aug. 2, 2026.

“Well, what I can say is that I do not support defunding the police. I do not support open borders. I do support abolishing the Senate,” Jeffries replied. “We’re focused on actually solving problems that hardworking American taxpayers want us to solve, which is to lower the high cost of living in a situation where life is far too expensive in this country. That’s the Democratic agenda. That’s what House Democrats are fighting to achieve.”

Welker then asked Jeffries if he thinks there is “room” in the Democratic Party for democratic socialists.

“Well, listen, I don’t support the DSA agenda as has been articulated by the DSA itself. Now, you’re going to have individual members who have been elected in Democratic primaries and, if they are elected in the general in November, will be part of the House Democratic Caucus,” Jeffries said. “It’s going to be a broad caucus. There will be progressives. There will be New Dems. There will be Blue Dogs.”

“What I’m excited about are the candidates who are running to flip seats in November, to deliver us a majority that pushes back against Donald Trump’s extremism and moves the country in the right direction,” Jeffries continued, before pivoting to affordability and “holding the crooks accountable beginning on day one in January of next year.”

Approximately 58% of Democrats have a “positive” view of socialism, according to a CBS News poll published Sunday. Of those with a college degree, that share jumps up to 71%.

THE DEMS:
Unlike the public overall, Democrats are mostly positive on socialism and have a more favorable impression of it than of capitalism.

In particular, Dems feel socialism would make their own finances better, and that, on balance, capitalism makes them worse.… pic.twitter.com/Zdctqkl3zB

— CBS News Poll (@CBSNewsPoll) August 16, 2026

Of the 171 races the DSA is tracking, 62 of its candidates won, while 54 others lost. An additional 55 are still running at the time of publication.

Only 8% of Democrats surveyed in the CBS News poll said the Democratic Party was more progressive than they preferred.