Socialists are helping GOP campaigns heading into November

A new number inside the latest Fox News national poll could bolster Republican midterm messaging as they work to hold their fragile congressional majorities amid an extremely rough political climate in this autumn's elections. The figure: 55% of registered voters hold an unfavorable view of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), while only three in 10 see the DSA in a positive light. The Fox News poll is the latest national survey to show that while the DSA has gained traction among Democrats, the group and the broader socialist movement in America face significant national skepticism. The figures appear to reinforce a key element in the GOP midterm playbook, which aims to turn what's normally a referendum on the party in power into a choice election. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL SAYS ABOUT THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS Republicans, pointing to the surge this year by progressive and socialist candidates over centrist and establishment-backed rivals in the Democratic Party primaries, are painting all Democrats on the ballot this year as far-left radicals. President Donald Trump, at this month's GOP midterm convention, argued that there is a "communist" takeover of the Democratic Party. "In state after state, the Democrat establishment has been overthrown and replaced by crazed lunatics and radicals. They call themselves Democrat socialists, but actually, they’re communists," Trump said. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB House Speaker Mike Johnson recently told Fox News Digital, "This really is a contrast election between common sense candidates... and crazy, and that's what the other side represents." Veteran Republican strategist Erin Maguire said that the new poll numbers on the DSA shows "that Democrats continuing to lurch further and further to the left with their socialist base is not something Americans want." "I do think it validates Republicans because Republicans are aiming to make this a choice election," Maguire, a veteran of the 2020 Trump re-election campaign who later steered communications for conservative firebrand Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, told Fox News Digital. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Democrats disagree and say the midterms will be won or lost over inflation. "Republicans are facing record-low approval numbers and have no midterm message after spiking costs, raising gas prices, and driving up inflation," Democratic National Committee Deputy Communications Director Kendall Witmer told Fox News Digital. But some moderate Democrats are concerned. "I think it’s a big problem," Ty Strong said as he referred to the Republican midterm strategy. Strong, founder and president of the Moderate PAC, told Fox News the midterms "should be a much bigger wave, but I don’t think it’s going to be as big as it could have been if we didn’t have this DSA and attacks that Republicans are going to use." WHO'S UP AND DOWN IN THE LATEST FOX NEWS MIDTERM ELECTION POWER RANKINGS He warned that the GOP playbook "absolutely could be effective." But Shannon Jackson, a key consultant and adviser to progressive leader Rep. Ro Khanna of California, said that "Republicans are in a very tough spot right now." CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP Referring to the Republican strategy, Jackson argued, "I think they’re reaching for things. I think the DSA issue is something they’re trying to make something, but it is not." "You can do these broad strokes of painting it as communist and things like that. They tried to do that for Bernie, and now he’s the most popular senator and politician in America," added Jackson, a grassroots organizer best known for his leadership roles in Sanders' 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns.