If many Democrats weren’t already in a foul mood, recent polling might make them go bonkers.
A March 9 CNN survey gave the Democratic Party a 29% favorable, 54% unfavorable rating, the lowest approval rating the party has gotten from CNN this century. The Republican Party was at 36% favorable, 48% unfavorable.
Much of the dissatisfaction with Democrats comes from progressives angry that their party hasn’t fought President Trump harder. Fifty-seven percent of Democratic respondents told CNN that their party should “mainly work to stop” the GOP agenda, while 42% think Democrats should “mainly work with the Republicans” to get some Democratic ideas into legislation.
The Democrats who just want to fight are enraged at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. They wanted to shut down the federal government rather than pass a continuing resolution that funds it through this fiscal year. That would have been stupid. Mr. Schumer saved Democrats from being blamed for causing a shutdown.
Republicans dream of the day leftists like New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezor Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib take control of the other party. But more than enough mainstream Democrats remain to keep that from happening. Sensible Democrats recognize their party is already viewed as out of touch.
That problem is acute for Democrats in places they need to win next year to flip the House. In a Navigator Research survey for the House Democratic Caucus, 55% of voters in 62 battleground districts said Democrats are “more focused on helping other people than people like me.” Only 27% said Democrats were focused on helping people like them.
Just 39% percent of voters in swing districts believe Democrats have the right priorities and 42% think Democrats share their values. Only 39% think Democrats value work. It’s easy to see why these voters trust the GOP more on inflation by 7 points and the economy by 5.
Still, the generic ballot in the Navigator poll was tight, with 42% favoring Democrats and 40% Republicans.
Therein lies the GOP’s challenge. Americans think the Democrats are terrible, but it’s still a horse race. In part this is because 2024 was much closer than the Republican ebullience today might make you think. The GOP won only a 2.8-point margin in total votes across House races, leaving them with a slim five-seat margin. A 2- or 3-point swing in the vote next year would give Democrats a healthy House margin.
There was some good news for Republicans in a March 11 NBC survey. Mr. Trump hit his best approval number ever and voters seem pleased with some of his early wins. But 47% of voters approve of the job as he’s doing as president, while 51% disapprove. Only 37% strongly approve; 46% strongly disapprove.
Similarly, 44% of voters told NBC that things “are generally headed in the right direction” and 54% “feel that things are off on the wrong track.” That’s a distinct improvement from last November, when NBC News had “right direction” at 27% and “wrong track” at 54%. The positive movement is in part a reflection of Mr. Trump’s concrete achievements. For example, by a 55% to 43% margin voters approve of his handling of “border security and immigration.”
