Democrats regained an advantage in party affiliation during the second quarter of this year, a bright spot as the party grapples with an eroding reputation among voters.
An average of 46% of US adults said they identified as Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents during the last quarter, according to Gallup, compared with 43% who identified as Republicans or Republican-leaners. The shift is wholly driven by more independents identifying as liberal; the percentage of Americans identifying as Democrats outright was actually down slightly.
This is a rebound for Democrats: The parties were tied during the first quarter for party affiliation, and Republicans held a four-point advantage at the end of last year after edging out Democrats for most of 2023 and 2024. Still, Gallup clocked the Democratic Party’s favorable rating at 34% — a record low.