A Party in Search of a Leader: Trump’s Influence on Democrats
The Democratic Party, struggling to coalesce around a central message or leader since the 2024 election, is currently being defined by its opposition to President Donald Trump, according to CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings.
On “State of the Union,” Sunday, Jennings asserted that for the “foreseeable future,” the true leader of the Democratic Party is Trump himself.
“The only thing they know how to do is be against whatever he is for, and so there is no leader of the party except for Trump,” Jennings said. “The beating heart of the Democratic Party is, ‘If Trump is for it, we’re against it.'”
READ: Democrats’ Voter Registration Dips As GOP Gains Ground In Key States
This perceived leadership vacuum comes as the party faces significant challenges.
According to an August report from the New York Times, Democrats lost an estimated 2.1 million voters across 30 states and Washington, D.C. between 2020 and 2024. In contrast, the Republican Party gained 2.4 million registered voters during the same period and continued to add more new voters than Democrats between 2024 and 2025.
Beyond voter registration, recent polls show a sharp decline in Democratic favorability. A March CNN poll showed the party’s favorability rating at just 29%, a 20-point drop since January 2021.
A July Quinnipiac poll found that only 19% of respondents approved of the Democrats’ congressional leadership.
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