(TJV NEWS) A growing number of Democrats are calling for their party to embrace a more progressive agenda and take a stronger stance against  President Donald Trump and his administration, according to a series of new polls.

A recent SurveyUSA poll conducted between April 2–6 among 885 Democrats and 859 Republicans revealed that 50% of Democrats want the party to become more progressive. In contrast, 24% prefer the party stay as it is, while 18% would like it to become more moderate. The data was reported by Real Clear Polling.

Among Republicans surveyed, 40% said their party should shift further to the right, becoming more conservative, while 44% felt it should maintain its current direction.

The poll results come on the heels of the Democratic Party’s loss of both the White House and control of Congress, prompting internal debate over the party’s future direction.

Progressive leaders Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have taken center stage in this movement. Their “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” has drawn large crowds in cities like Los Angeles and Denver, as well as in Republican-led states such as Idaho and Montana. The tour emphasizes the need for the Democratic Party to push back harder against Trump-era policies and corporate influence, including figures like Elon Musk, whom they’ve criticized in speeches.

The tour has also proven to be a boon for Ocasio-Cortez’s fundraising. According to Politico, she raised a staggering $9.6 million in the first quarter of 2025, more than double her next best fundraising quarter. As of the latest Federal Election Commission filings, she has over $8 million cash-on-hand.

Her growing influence has fueled speculation that she may launch a 2028 primary challenge against current Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), as progressives push for new leadership at the top.

Additional polling supports the idea that Democratic voters are ready for more aggressive action. A Harvard-Harris poll conducted April 9–10 among 2,236 registered voters found that 62% of Democrats want their party to oppose Trump’s efforts to slash government spending. On the other hand, 61% of independents said Democrats should work with Republicans to reduce expenditures.

The same Harvard-Harris poll asked voters whether they support progressive figures like Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez — who advocate for taking a hard stance on Trump — or moderate Democrats more open to compromise. The result: 72% of Democrats favored the progressive approach. However, 56% of independents and most Republicans said they prefer Democrats who are willing to compromise.

The shift in party sentiment is also reflected in favorability ratings from recent Economist/YouGov polls. While Sen. Schumer has a 42% favorability rating among Democrats, Ocasio-Cortez stands at 66%, and Sanders leads with 80% among Democrats and 42% among independents. Sanders also enjoys a low negative rating: just 11% among Democrats and 32% among independents view him unfavorably.

Sources: SurveyUSA, Real Clear Polling, Politico, Federal Election Commission, Harvard-Harris Poll, Economist/YouGov