The political climate allows them to finally admit it.
The percentage of Democrats identifying as liberal averaged 51% in 2018, up from 50% in 2017, marking the first time a majority of Democrats have adopted this term, following gradual increases since the 1990s.
In 1994, nearly half of Democrats described their views as moderate while equal percentages, at 25%, identified themselves as liberal and conservative. That fundamental pattern held until about 2002, during the first half of President George W. Bush’s first term in office. From 2002 through 2014 — spanning the Iraq War under Bush and the Barack Obama presidency — the liberal share increased approximately one percentage point a year, while the percentages moderate and conservative fell. Since 2014, the percentage of Democrats identifying as liberal has increased at an even faster rate of two points per year on average.
U.S. Still Leans Conservative, but Liberals Keep Recent Gains
The nation’s ideological balance held steady in 2018, with conservatives and moderates each at 35% and liberals remaining at last year’s record high, 26%.