Calls to tax the rich have been gaining prominence as DSA candidates begin to make more headlines. And, while the idea is popular, increasing government spending through the extra money is not. In fact, just 35% of voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who promised to raise government spending and taxes on the rich over a candidate who promised to cut spending and cut taxes on the middle class.

Seven in 10 Republicans (70%) would favor the candidate cutting spending and taxes, while a majority (54%) of Democrats would favor the candidate calling for increased spending and taxes on the rich. However, there is a significant split in the Democratic party: among voters who prefer policies similar to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) 58% would opt for the candidate increasing spending and a wealth tax; traditional Democratic voters would opt for the cuts by a margin of 50% to 45%.

Voters are adamantly opposed to raising government spending. In fact, 67% of voters say it is true that a majority of politicians want to raise spending, despite the fact that a majority of voters want to cut it.

Voters like the idea of raising taxes on the rich, but they draw the line at raising spending. And, while raising taxes on the wealthy is a popular slogan, voters are clear: 61% say it is bad for a state when wealthy individuals leave it to go to another state with lower taxes, and overwhelmingly support the freedom to walk away.

This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, August 10-11, 2026. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.