Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to respond to growing interest in democratic socialism by improving economic conditions rather than dismissing younger voters' concerns. In a Fox News interview, he said Americans should be able to afford a home, education, family life and a good job, and argued that if the GOP fails to deliver, it should blame itself rather than young people who become sympathetic to socialist ideas. His comments followed a CNN poll showing one-third of Democratic voters identify as democratic socialists, with younger voters more likely to back progressive policies. Vance said President Donald Trump’s policies are working by drawing investment and creating middle-class jobs, but acknowledged that if the economy does not improve, younger voters could increasingly turn to democratic socialism. The remarks come as inflation remained at 3.3% in the 12 months through July 2026, compared with 2.7% in November 2024, and as 2024 exit polling showed then-Vice President Kamala Harris beat Trump among voters ages 18 to 29 by 54% to 43%, while Trump performed strongest among voters ages 45 to 64.