As our nation’s politics becomes more polarized, more Americans are identifying as “Independents.” However, Gallup’s quarterly tracking of partisanship shows Americans are beginning to lean more Democratic than Republican, despite historically low approval ratings for the Democratic Party.
By The Numbers:
When President Donald Trump was first elected in 2016, 43% of Americans identified or leaned Democrat and 46% identified or leaned Republican. When he took office in 2017, it was 47% Democrat and 42% Republican. By Q3 of that year, those numbers remained roughly the same, 47%-43%.
When Trump won election last November, 47% of Americans identified or leaned Republican while 46% identified or leaned Democrat. When he took office, Americans were split, 45%-45%. Today, only 41% of Americans identify or lean Republican and 48% identify or lean Democrat.
The Bottom Line: The more partisan our politics becomes; the more average Americans move away from either political party. It will be important to watch this trend going into the 2026 midterms to see if more and more voters lean Democrat.
