48% Of Democrats Now Self-Identify As Liberal

The top chart reflects polls done by the Pew Research Center of Democrats from 2000 through 2017. The bottom chart shows a demographic breakdown of Democrats in 2017.

They show the percentage of Democrats self-identifying as liberal has grown from 28% in 2000 to about 48% in 2017 (a jump of 20 points). That's gratifying for those of us who like the liberal (progressive) agenda. But we still need to be careful. It also means that 51% do not identify as liberal, and it would not be a winning strategy to initiate any kind of purity test that would drive those people out of the party (as some on the left seem to want to do).

We also need to realize that most Americans do not identify themselves as liberal. Most self-identify as moderates -- and they don't like the extremes on either the left or the right. The Republicans have move to the far right. This gives the Democrats a golden opportunity, but moving the party far to the left right now would waste that opportunity.

To take advantage of the opportunity presenting itself, Democrats need to position themselves as a MODERATELY liberal party. We can move the country toward our liberal agenda, but only if we do it in moderate steps (a little at a time).