Opinion
GALLUP: Majorities view BOTH parties unfavorably
- 43% have a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party; 40% of the GOP
- Democratic Party favorable rating down from 48% in January
- Republicans rate their own party less positively than Democrats do
Americans’ opinions of the Democratic Party have fallen slightly from an elevated level this year, and more again view the party unfavorably (55%) than favorably (43%). Meanwhile, 56% have an unfavorable view of the Republican and 40% a favorable one. .
The three-percentage-point gap in party favorable ratings is down from 11 points earlier this year, shortly after President Joe Biden’s inauguration and as the Senate was preparing to try former President Donald Trump on impeachment charges for his actions related to the January 6 Capitol Hill riot. At that point, the Democratic Party had a 48% to 37% edge in favorability.
The latest results are from a Sept. 1-17 Gallup poll, conducted in the wake of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, a continuing surge in U.S. coronavirus cases and an uneven economic recovery. As a result, President Joe Biden’s job approval rating has fallen to the lowest of his term.
Independents Mostly Responsible for Decline in Democratic Favorability
Biden’s loss of popularity, primarily among independents, is likely a factor in the lower favorable ratings of his party. The party’s favorable image is also down mostly among independents, from 48% in January to 35% in the current poll.
As might be expected, Democrats’ (92% favorable) and Republicans’ (5% favorable) opinions of the Democratic Party are essentially unchanged, from 94% and 4%, respectively, in January.
The Republican Party’s current favorable rating among all Americans is little different from the 37% recorded in January. Its favorable rating then was down six points from the prior reading in November 2020, shortly after Election Day.
In January, 78% of Republicans, 35% of independents and 10% of Democrats held a favorable opinion of the Republican Party. In the latest poll, the figures are 83% among Republicans, 38% among independents and 7% among Democrats. None of those changes are large enough to be considered statistically meaningful.