Why Americans Hate the Democratic Party
Most voters aren’t rejecting Democrats over the culture war. They’re rejecting them because they don’t deliver.
Contrary to many analyses that have blamed Democrats for holding extreme positions on cultural issues, the dominant theme was voters’ anger at the party for failing to deliver. (Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP via Getty Images)
With President Donald Trump’s approval rating deep under water, and Americans’ views of his handling of the economy over 20 points more negative than they were on inauguration day, a naive observer of US politics might expect the Democrats’ fortunes to be rising.
Nothing of the sort. A recent CNN/SSRS poll from March 2025 found that just 29 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party. That is the lowest number since SSRS began asking the question in 2002.
This overwhelmingly negative public sentiment toward the Democrats was confirmed by a new study of voters in four Rust Belt states (Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) conducted by the Center for Working-Class Politics (CWCP), the Labor Institute, and Rutgers University. It found that over 70 percent of Rust Belt voters hold a negative view of the party.
Sorry, but this article is available to active subscribers only. Please log in or become a subscriber.