Democrats are growing increasingly discouraged about the direction of their party, according to a new AP-NORC poll released six months after Donald Trump returned to the presidency.
Only about one in three Democrats now say they feel optimistic about the party’s future — a steep drop from last July, when nearly 60% felt hopeful. Many cite a lack of strong leadership and frustration over how little is being done to counter Trump’s influence.
“I’m not real high on Democrats right now,” said Damien Williams, a 48-year-old Teamsters member from Illinois. “They’re not doing enough to push back.”
The poll also found that overall, neither major party is viewed favorably by a majority of Americans. About 40% of adults have a positive opinion of the GOP, while support for Democrats is even lower, at roughly one-third.
Within the Democratic Party, Senator Bernie Sanders remains the most popular figure, with about three-quarters of Democrats viewing him favorably. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is backed by about half, but Senate leader Chuck Schumer’s support has dropped significantly since late 2024.
On the Republican side, Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads in popularity among GOP voters, followed by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — though their appeal is much lower among the general public.
Republicans appear slightly more upbeat about their party’s direction than last year, with 55% expressing optimism, up from 47%. But trust in the overall political system remains weak. Just 3 in 10 Republicans say they’re optimistic about U.S. politics — better than last year’s 1 in 10, but still low.
The poll also revealed broader doubts about how political leaders are selected. A majority of Democrats (55%) said they don’t trust the current system — pointing to gerrymandering and the Electoral College as key concerns.
“I think the system worked in the past, but it doesn’t now,” said Linda Sleet, a retiree from Florida.
The AP-NORC poll was conducted May 1–5, 2025, with 1,175 U.S. adults.
One person has died and at least 17 others have been injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd near Berlin's annual Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pri...
Iran has accused Ukraine of attacking one of its commercial vessels in the Caspian Sea, escalating tensions after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praise...
A new state agency wants the world to take Georgian food as seriously as Georgians already do. ...
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
Spain has declared a national emergency and evacuated more than 10,000 people after uncontrolled wildfires reached the outskirts of Madrid. Emergency crews have rescued residents as multiple blazes continue to spread across the region.
Powerr had been fully restored across Georgia following a nationwide blackout early on Friday, the country’s state-owned electricity operator, the Georgian State Electrosystem has confirmed.
Six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General have called for restoring the organisation's credibility, strengthening multilateralism and reforming the UN, during the first public town hall debate ahead of a decisive Security Council vote next week.
One person has died and at least 17 others have been injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd near Berlin's annual Christopher Street Day (CSD) Pride celebrations, leading to a major police manhunt across the German capital.
Brazil has denied visa requests for two Trump administration officials who planned to travel to the country to cast doubt on the integrity of its electoral system, two Brazilian officials with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Russian authorities said 11 people, including four children, had been killed by Ukraine in an overnight attack on a holiday camp, accusing Kyiv on Saturday of deliberately targeting civilians.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Washington next week as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto recently offered the dismissed Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Mykhailo Federov an adviser role in Italy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment