A staggering decline in the Democratic Party’s favorability rating has raised alarm bells among party leaders, as a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS reveals historic lows in public perception and deep fractures within the party itself. According to the poll, only 29% of Americans view the Democratic Party favorably—the lowest rating recorded in CNN polling since 1992. It also marks a 20-point drop since January 2021, when Democrats regained control of the White House following Donald Trump’s  first term.

A key driver of this dissatisfaction stems from growing frustration among Democratic voters who believe their party is failing to take a strong enough stand against Trump and the GOP agenda. When asked whether Democrats should prioritize working with Republicans to pass bipartisan legislation or focus on stopping the GOP’s policies, 57% of Democrats and left-leaning independents said their party should fight the Republican agenda, while only 42% favored collaboration. This marks a dramatic shift from September 2017, when 74% of Democrats supported working with Republicans to push forward Democratic priorities.

For the first time in nearly a decade, a majority of Democratic-aligned voters believe their party is heading in the wrong direction. According to the poll, 52% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents disapprove of their party’s leadership, a stark contrast to eight years ago when Democrats overwhelmingly supported their leadership. The numbers underscore a growing divide between Democratic voters and their party establishment. Among self-identified Democrats, 72% still hold a favorable view of the party, but among independents who lean Democratic, that number plummets to just 37%.

Adding to the party’s woes is the lack of a clear leader to rally behind. When Democratic-aligned respondents were asked to name the leader who best reflects the core values of the party, no single figure dominated the field. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was the most frequently mentioned name, cited by 10% of respondents, followed closely by Vice President Kamala Harris at 9% and Sen. Bernie Sanders at 8%. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was named by 6%, while former President Barack Obama and Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett each received 4%. Schumer barely registered at 2%, joining a handful of other low-profile mentions. Most strikingly, more than 30% of respondents could not name a single Democratic leader they believed embodied the party’s values. One respondent summed up the sentiment bluntly: “No one. That’s the problem.”

This vacuum contrasts sharply with the Republican Party’s consolidation around Trump, despite internal tensions. The poll found that 79% of Republicans and right-leaning independents hold a favorable view of the GOP, compared to just 63% of Democrats who view their own party positively.

Additionally, for the first time in CNN’s polling, Democrats are no longer widely seen as the mainstream political party. In 2022, 56% of Americans considered the Democratic Party’s policies to be mainstream. Now, a majority believe both the Democratic and Republican parties are too extreme, with 50% and 51% respectively saying the two parties have moved away from the center. While political independents still view Republicans as more extreme than Democrats, with 57% saying the GOP is too far right compared to 48% who say the same about the Democrats, this marks a significant image shift for a party that has traditionally positioned itself as the moderate alternative to Republican policies.

The cracks in the party run deeper across age, race, and ideology. Younger Democrats under 45 and progressives strongly favor Ocasio-Cortez and demand aggressive opposition to Trump and the GOP agenda. Older Democrats and moderates prefer a more cooperative approach, with 51% of moderates favoring bipartisan efforts. Women, people of color, and those without college degrees are more likely to support party leadership than white, college-educated men, who overwhelmingly believe the party is headed in the wrong direction.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)