Gallup: Support for GOP, Democrats Hits New Low: Both Parties “Floundering,” Favored by Less Than 40%
(From the Activist Ammunition section in Volume 20, No. 11 of the Liberator Online. Subscribe here!)
A new Gallup poll shows America’s two largest and oldest political parties both falling to a new low in favor among the public.
Only 37% of Americans now view the Republican Party favorably; only 39% view the Democratic Party favorably. This is a significant drop for the GOP — fully five points — from the midterm elections this past fall in which the Republicans won control of both the U.S. House and Senate. And it’s a near-record low for the Democrats — their lowest score was 36%, after the 2014 midterm elections.
This is the lowest favorability rating for both parties together since Gallup began tracking this way (i.e., asking about both parties in one poll) in 1992.
It is also the first time that neither party has achieved at least 40% favorability in this comparison poll. And, according to Gallup, it marks a clear downward trend.
Says Gallup: “The descent to sub-40% ratings for both parties marks a new low in an already inauspicious trend. … Except for a brief spike to 51% for the Democrats after Obama was re-elected in 2012, both parties’ ratings have registered below 50% since 2010.
“Bottom line: For some time, numerous Gallup trends have been showing Americans largely displeased with government’s performance and leadership. Through it all, at least one political party was reviewed well, but now — perhaps because of the constant brinksmanship going on between Obama and the Republican Congress, but maybe for other reasons — both parties are floundering.”
Adds Richard Winger, America’s leading expert on ballot access laws: “If the United States had nondiscriminatory election laws and practices relating to ballot access, debates, and campaign finance, it is obvious that new parties would arise and gain substantial support, just as they have in Great Britain and Canada.”
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