Democrats Face Historic Lows in Favorability, Raising Concerns Ahead of Midterms
The Democratic Party is currently grappling with unprecedentedly low favorability ratings, with new polling data revealing a significant decline in public perception. CNN Senior Data Reporter Harry Enten highlighted on Sunday that the party’s net favorability is at its “lowest on record,” a trend confirmed by multiple recent surveys.
A Wall Street Journal poll released Friday indicated the Democratic Party’s net favorability rating stands at a striking -30 points.
This figure aligns closely with CNN’s own reporting, which shows a -26 point rating for the party. According to Enten, these numbers represent the Democrats being “the furthest underwater they have ever been since the 1990s.”
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“I mean, my God. We mentioned CNN, we had that poll come out a little while ago on their net favorable rating,” Enten stated during a “CNN News Central” appearance. “They are 26 points underwater. You think that low enough? How about we go even lower, we’ll go to this side of the screen. We go to The Wall Street Journal, -30 points. Their lowest on record. These polls have records going all the way back to the 90s, and when it comes to the Democratic Party’s net favorable rating, and both The Wall Street Journal and the CNN poll, the Democratic Party is breaking records in the way that you don’t want to break records.”
The Wall Street Journal’s poll further detailed that 63% of voters now view the Democratic Party unfavorably, marking the highest percentage in the WSJ’s polling history dating back to 1990. In contrast, Republicans currently hold an 11-point underwater rating, indicating a less severe negative perception compared to their counterparts.
READ: Democrats Face Historic Unpopularity, WSJ Poll Finds
Adding to the concerning trend, a Quinnipiac University poll from July 17 found that only 39% of Democratic voters approve of congressional members of their own party, while 52% disapprove. This internal dissatisfaction within the party’s base underscores the broader challenge.
These record-low favorability ratings follow the party’s losses in the 2024 election. An NBC News poll from March indicated that only 27% of voters held a positive view of the party, the lowest since 1990. Similarly, a CNN poll in the same month reported a 29% favorability rating for Democrats, the lowest recorded since 1992.
READ: CNN’s Harry Enten Stunned That Americans Trust GOP Over Democrats On Foreign Policy
The Democratic Party is also notably lagging in generic congressional ballot polls with just over a year remaining until the 2026 midterm elections, holding only a two-point lead over Republicans. This precarious position suggests an uphill battle for the party in retaining or regaining congressional control.
In a contrasting trend, CNN’s Harry Enten previously noted that President Donald Trump maintained a 63% strong-favorability rating among Republican voters as of July 1. This figure represents the highest strong-favorability rating for a Republican president since former President Ronald Reagan, highlighting a significant divergence in party enthusiasm and favorability.
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