AP-NORC Poll Shows Democratic Favorability Dropped After the 2024 Election and Has Not Recovered
Democratic candidates may be stacking up wins in special elections, but a new AP-NORC poll finds rank and file Democrats are still not fully sold on their own party.
According to polling from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, roughly 7 in 10 Democrats say they view the Democratic Party positively. While that remains a clear majority, it reflects a noticeable dip compared to prior years.
The numbers have yet to rebound from the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s 2024 victory. Democratic favorability among its own voters fell from 85 percent in September 2024 to 67 percent in October 2025. Despite off season victories and steady special election wins since then, those ratings have remained flat.
Midterms Offer Opportunity But Not Enthusiasm
With the 2026 midterms still months away, soft favorability does not necessarily translate into electoral losses. Historically, the party out of power tends to gain seats in Congress during midterm elections, and recent polling suggests independents often shift toward whichever party is not in the White House.
At the same time, Americans hold broadly negative views of Trump and other Republicans, which could create openings for Democrats. Still, enthusiasm matters. A prolonged lack of internal energy can weaken fundraising, turnout, and grassroots engagement.
Other surveys suggest Democrats are unusually frustrated. Gallup recorded a 12 point drop in Democrats’ positive views of their own party over the last year, marking the lowest level in that measure’s history dating back to 2001. Notably, Democrats did not experience a similar slide after Trump’s first victory in 2016.
A separate Pew Research Center survey found that roughly two thirds of Democrats said their own party made them feel frustrated. Among those voters, about 4 in 10 said the party was not fighting hard enough against Trump, while roughly 1 in 10 cited weak leadership or a lack of a cohesive agenda.
Americans Sour on Both Parties
The skepticism is not confined to one side. The AP-NORC poll shows roughly one quarter of Americans hold negative views of both the Democratic and Republican parties. That sentiment is especially common among independents and Americans under 45.
Only about half of U.S. adults view one party positively, and just 1 in 10 feel good about both.
Long term Gallup data indicates public sentiment toward Democrats began shifting around 2010. Since then, at least half of Americans have consistently held unfavorable views of the party. Current negativity toward Democrats rivals some of the Republican Party’s lowest moments in public opinion history.
Health Care Remains a Democratic Strength
The AP-NORC poll does reveal an area of potential strength: health care.
About 35 percent of U.S. adults say they trust Democrats more to handle health care, compared to 23 percent who trust Republicans. With rising premiums and medical costs weighing on households, that issue may provide Democrats with a clear lane heading into the midterm year.
Republicans, meanwhile, have lost some ground on issues central to Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Only 31 percent of Americans now say they trust Republicans to handle the economy, down from 36 percent last year. However, Democrats have not capitalized. A growing share of Americans now say they trust neither party on the economy.
On immigration, Republican trust numbers have slipped from 39 percent in October to roughly one third today. Yet Democrats again have not seen measurable gains from that shift.
Neither party holds a clear edge on managing the cost of living, according to the latest survey.
The AP-NORC poll Democrats findings underscore a familiar reality in American politics: dissatisfaction runs in both directions. For Democrats, the question heading into 2026 is not just whether voters disapprove of Republicans, but whether they feel energized enough about their own party to show up and deliver.
