Democratic Party faces polling setback following Trump's re-election
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According to a Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday, only 31% of voters view the Democratic Party favorably, while 57% hold an unfavorable opinion.
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A video of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is seen during the Democratic National Convention, on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago (AP)
The Democratic Party is facing a stark reality as voter dissatisfaction reaches its highest level since 2008, Newsweek reported on Wednesday, citing a new Quinnipiac poll.
Republican Donald Trump secured a decisive victory over former Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. His momentum has continued to grow this month, with his favorability ratings rising ahead of his inauguration.
Enthusiasm for the Democratic Party has steadily declined since the November election, as indicated by a YouGov tracker. As of January 27, 2025, the party’s unfavorability rating has hit its highest recorded level.
According to the Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday, only 31% of voters view the Democratic Party favorably, while 57% hold an unfavorable opinion.
"This is the highest percentage of voters having an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking this question," the poll highlighted.
The findings reveal that among independent voters, just 22% have a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, compared to 59% with an unfavorable view. Among men, only 22% hold a favorable view, while 67% have an unfavorable opinion. Meanwhile, 39% of women view the party favorably, compared to 47% who hold an unfavorable opinion.
By contrast, voters appear to have a more favorable view of the Republican Party, with 43% expressing a positive opinion and 45% an unfavorable one, according to the poll.
The survey was conducted from January 23-27 among 1,019 self-identified registered voters nationwide, with a margin of error of 3.1%.
"The Democratic brand is not doing well especially among working class voters,” Kevin Wagner, a political science professor at Florida Atlantic University, told Newsweek on Wednesday.
When asked whether this trend was linked to Trump’s rise and his "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) message, Wagner said, "Trump has been particularly effective with rural and working-class voters that is worth pointing out, while the Democratic Party has become centered on big cities, losing the appeal where they were historically very strong."
Quinnipiac also explained in the poll that "this marks the biggest favorability advantage the Republican Party (43 percent) has held over the Democratic Party (31 percent) since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking these questions."
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