Democrats Struggle as Trump’s Approval Ratings Stay Low
Despite President Donald Trump’s approval rating sinking below the surface, it appears that the Democratic Party is currently treading water at an even deeper depth, as revealed by a recent poll from The Wall Street Journal published on Saturday.
The survey, a collaborative effort between Democratic pollster John Anzalone and Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, indicates that the Democrats’ popularity has hit a new nadir, with 63 percent of voters expressing an unfavorable opinion of the party—the lowest rating in three decades of WSJ polling.
Only one-third of voters view Democrats favorably, and an alarmingly small 8 percent hold a “very favorable” opinion, leading to a staggering net negative favorability of 30 percentage points. To put it another way, if the Democratic Party were a restaurant, it would be receiving only one-star reviews on every public platform.
While voters remain concerned about the Republican Party’s management of key issues such as the economy, inflation, tariffs, and foreign policy, a majority nonetheless trust Republicans more than Democrats to navigate these treacherous waters in Congress. It’s akin to choosing a captain for a sinking ship; voters may not love the options, but they seem to believe the Republicans have a better map.
Even with widespread disapproval of Trump’s handling of inflation—where disapproval outstripped approval by 11 points—Republicans still enjoy a 10-point trust advantage over Democrats regarding economic issues. It appears that voters are willing to overlook the shortcomings of the captain if they think the first mate might steer them more effectively.
This trend continues when it comes to Trump’s controversial tariffs policy, where disapproval stands at 17 points. Yet, Republicans are still trusted more than Democrats on this issue, albeit by a slimmer 7-point margin. It’s like picking the lesser of two evils—neither option is particularly appealing, but one appears slightly more competent.
Interestingly, health care and vaccination policies are the only domains where Democrats are regarded more favorably than their Republican counterparts. This could be seen as a small victory in an otherwise bleak landscape.
While both Trump and the Republican Party have net unfavorable ratings—Trump at -7 and the GOP at -11—these numbers are significantly less grim than those faced by the Democrats in this survey. The Journal’s findings indicate that Trump’s approval ratings have remained relatively stable as he embarks on his second term, although other polls have painted a less rosy picture.
“The Democratic brand is so tarnished that they lack the credibility to effectively criticize Trump or the Republican Party,” Anzalone remarked to the newspaper. “Until they reconnect with real voters and working-class individuals regarding their priorities and economic messaging, they will continue to face significant challenges.”
Despite the palpable discontent with the Democrats, a sliver of hope remains: if an election were held today, voters would support a Democrat for Congress over a Republican by a narrow margin of 3 points, 46 to 43 percent. However, this is a notable decline from six months into Trump’s first term in 2017, when Democrats enjoyed an 8-point advantage.
The Journal conducted this poll with 1,500 registered voters between July 16-20, employing both landline and cellphone methods. The results carry a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, providing a snapshot of voter sentiment in these turbulent political waters.
