A record low number of Americans regard the Democratic party favourably, a new CNN poll indicates
The Democratic party’s favorability rating among the American public has hit a record low, a new CNN poll suggests.
The poll, commissioned by the broadcaster, was conducted by pollster SSRS, between March 6 and 9, sampling opinions of some 1,206 respondents. It indicated the approval rating of the party stands at just 29% – a record low in CNN regular polling carried out since 1992. The Republican party fares better with its rating currently standing at 36%, the poll shows.
The partisan approval differed for the two parties as well, with just 63% of Democrats and Democrat-learners speaking favorably of their party, while some 79% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents approved of the GOP. Independents, however, do not regard either of the parties highly, with their favorability ratings hovering around the 20% mark.
The Democrats have also struggled with consolidating any party leader supposed to “best reflect the core values,” the poll suggested. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez topped the list, with 10% of Democratic-aligned respondents picking her for such a role.
Former VP and Democratic presidential runner Kamala Harris got 9% and US Senator Bernie Sanders received 8% support. Only 1% of Democratic-aligned respondents picked former US President Joe Biden, while over 30% gave no option on the matter or opposed all the high-profile Democrats.
The poll has also suggested the Democratic-aligned Americans have taken an increasingly combative approach towards the Republicans, with some 57% stating the party’s lawmakers should focus on stopping the GOP agenda rather than advancing their own ideas. Only 42% said the lawmakers should cooperate with their GOP counterparts.
The figures constituted a drastic shift in the sentiment compared to the first tenure of US President Donald Trump – according to a CNN poll conducted in September 2017, some 74% of Democratic respondents said the party should cooperate with the Republicans while only 23% said it should focus on disrupting their agenda.
