Following the 2024 election, a new CNN poll by SSRS reveals that many Democratic supporters believe the party must undergo major changes, feeling “burned out” by politics. The party now faces its lowest favorability ratings in over 30 years.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s return to political life is reshaping the GOP, as a majority of its supporters now view backing the president-elect as essential to being a true Republican.These developments occur within a broader climate of political dissatisfaction, where even Republicans are far more likely to report disappointment and frustration with politics than to feel optimistic, inspired, or proud, CNN noted.
“A 58% majority of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say that the Democratic Party needs major changes, or to be completely reformed, up from just 34% who said the same after the 2022 midterm elections, when the party retained control of the Senate but lost the House,” the outlet reported. “Over that time, the share of Republicans and Republican leaners who feel the same way about the GOP has ticked downward, from 38% to 28%.”
CNN added: “Only 49% of Democratic-aligned adults say they expect their party’s congressional representatives to be even somewhat effective at resisting GOP policies, while more than 9 in 10 Republican-aligned adults expect their party’s congressional representatives — who now control both chambers of Congress — to be at least somewhat effective at passing new laws to enact their agenda.
However, discontent is widespread after four years of Biden-Harris. A majority of U.S. adults feel disappointed (70%) and frustrated (64%) with the nation’s current politics, with nearly half identifying as burned out. About 40% report feeling angry—a figure that climbs to 52% among women who lean Democratic. In contrast, fewer than 20% express feelings of optimism, enthusiasm, inspiration, or pride.
Only 23% of registered voters are satisfied with the influence people like them have on the political process, a drop from 38% last autumn. This decline indicates growing dissatisfaction among voters of both parties. Meanwhile, about 48% of adults say they are confident that elections accurately reflect the people’s will—a slight increase from the low 40s seen over the past three years.
Confidence in elections has seen a partisan shift since Trump’s electoral win. Among Republican-aligned adults, confidence soared from 29% in July 2023 to 67% currently, while it fell from 59% to 39% among Democratic-aligned adults during the same timeframe.
Overall, favorability ratings for the parties remain low. Only 33% of Americans hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party—the lowest ever recorded by CNN since 1992—while the GOP fares slightly better with a 36% favorability rating. For context, in the immediate aftermath of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, the Democrats enjoyed a 49% favorability rating compared to the Republicans’ 32%.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.