Liberals

See also: Modern liberalism in the United States

Eleanor Roosevelt at the 1956 Democratic National Convention in Chicago

Social liberals (modern liberals) and progressives constitute the majority of the Democratic voter base. Liberals thereby form the largest united demographic within the Democratic base. According to the 2012 exit poll results, liberals constituted 25% of the electorate, and 86% of American liberals favored the candidate of the Democratic Party.^[60] White-collar college-educated professionals were mostly Republican until the 1950s; they now compose a vital component of the Democratic Party.^[61]
A large majority of liberals favor universal health care, with many supporting a single-payer system. A majority also favor diplomacy over military action, stem cell research, the legalization of same-sex marriage, stricter gun control, and environmental protection laws as well as the preservation of abortion rights. Immigration and cultural diversity is deemed positive; liberals favor cultural pluralism, a system in which immigrants retain their native culture in addition to adopting their new culture. They tend to be divided on free trade agreements and organizations such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Most liberals oppose increased military spending and the mixing of church and state.^[62]
This ideological group differs from the traditional organized labor base. According to the Pew Research Center, a plurality of 41% resided in mass affluent households and 49% were college graduates, the highest figure of any typographical group. It was also the fastest growing typological group between the late 1990s and early 2000s.^[62] Liberals include most of academia^[63] and large portions of the professional class.^[48][49][50]

Progressives

See also: Progressivism in the United States

Progressives are a left-leaning, pro-labor union faction in the party who have long supported a strong regulation of business, social-welfare programs, and workers' rights.^[64][65] Many progressive Democrats are descendants of the New Left of Democratic presidential candidate Senator George McGovern of South Dakota; others were involved in the 2016 presidential candidacy of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
In 2014, progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren set out an "Eleven Commandments of Progressivism", being tougher regulation on corporations, affordable education, scientific investment and environmentalism, network neutrality, increased wages, equal pay, collective bargaining rights, defending social safety-net programs, marriage equality, immigration reform, and unabridged access to reproductive healthcare.^[66] Additionally, progressives strongly oppose political corruption, and therefore seek to advance electoral reform including campaign finance reform and voting rights.^[67] Today many progressives have made a fight against economic inequality their top priority.^[68] Progressives are generally considered to be synonymous with Liberals; however, the two groups differ on a variety of issues.^[69]
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is a caucus of progressive Democrats, and is the single largest Democratic caucus in the House of Representatives. Its current chairs are Keith Ellison of Minnesota, who is the Deputy Chair of the party at large, and Raúl Grijalva of Arizona. Its members have included Representatives Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, John Conyers of Michigan, Jim McDermott of Washington, John Lewis of Georgia, Barbara Lee of California, and the late Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota. Senators Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, and Ed Markey of Massachusetts were all members of the caucus when in the House of Representatives. Today, no Democratic Senators belong to the Progressive Caucus; however, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders is a member.