The Democratic Party’s latest approval ratings hit record lows in a pair of polls on Sunday, coming after a bruising 2024 election for the party in which it lost control of the White House and Senate.
An NBC News poll found 27% of registered voters say they view the party favorably − the lowest favorability rating for Democrats in NBC polls going back to 1990. Only 7% of survey respondents said they said they have a “very positive” view of the party.
Another poll released by CNN similarly found 29% of voters view Democrats in a positive light, a low in CNN’s polling since 1992. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 63% said they have a favorable view of the party.
Intra-party rifts and frustration consumed Democrats in Congress last week, as lawmakers raced to avert a government shutdown.
After the House passed a GOP-led plan to keep the government’s doors open, Senate Democrats were left to decide between backing legislation that would empower President Donald Trump or allowing a shutdown that would have forced hundreds of thousands of workers to go unpaid.
Ultimately, ten Democrats in the Senate sided with most of their Republican colleagues to pass the spending deal and avoid a shutdown.
The small cohort included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who announced on Thursday his intent to vote “yes” and faced a flood of criticism from fellow Democrats over the decision. Some have even called into question if he should step down from leadership.
