Party Faces Deep Divisions and Voter Discontent as Trump’s Influence Grows

March 17, 2025 - Washington, D.C. - In a striking blow to the Democratic Party, a new CNN poll released on Sunday reveals that the party’s favorability rating among Americans has plummeted to an all-time low of 29%, the lowest recorded in CNN’s polling history dating back to 1992. The survey, conducted by SSRS from March 6-9, 2025, among 1,206 U.S. adults, underscores a growing disillusionment with the party as it struggles to define a cohesive strategy in the face of President Donald Trump’s second term.

The poll highlights a stark contrast with the Republican Party, which currently enjoys a 36% favorability rating, despite its own challenges. For Democrats, the 29% figure represents a steep decline from 49% in January 2021, when Trump left office amid the fallout of the January 6 Capitol attack. This drop reflects mounting frustration not only among the broader public but also within the party’s own base, as Democrats grapple with internal divisions and a perceived inability to counter Trump’s agenda effectively.

The timing of the survey—conducted just days before 10 Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, voted with Republicans to advance a GOP-authored spending bill on March 13—adds context to the discontent. The decision to support the stopgap measure, which averted a government shutdown, has sparked outrage among progressive Democrats who see it as a capitulation to Trump and his billionaire ally, Elon Musk. This move has deepened rifts within the party, with 57% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents telling CNN they want party leaders to focus on obstructing the GOP agenda, compared to 42% who favor bipartisan cooperation.

Political analysts point to several factors driving the Democrats’ historic low. The party’s losses in the 2024 elections—where Republicans regained the White House, flipped the Senate, and held onto a fragile House majority—have left Democrats searching for direction. Trump’s gains among traditional Democratic voting blocs, including Black, Hispanic, and younger voters, have further compounded the party’s woes. Adding to the turmoil, dissatisfaction with the “old guard” leadership has fueled calls for renewal, with figures like Representative Ro Khanna publicly criticizing the status quo.

As the Democratic Party faces this reckoning, the CNN poll serves as a wake-up call. With favorability at a nadir and November’s midterm elections looming, the party must decide whether to double down on resistance or chart a new course to reconnect with a disenchanted electorate. For now, the numbers paint a grim picture of a party in crisis, struggling to find its footing in an increasingly polarized political landscape.