Many Democrats view their party as “weak” or “ineffective,” reflecting a deep sense of pessimism within Democratic ranks, according to a recent AP-NORC poll. While Republicans generally expressed more favorable opinions of their own party, a notable minority still labeled the GOP as “greedy” or broadly “bad.”
The July survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research signals concerns for both major political parties ahead of this fall’s elections in New Jersey and Virginia, and the upcoming midterms.
Poll participants were asked to share the first word or phrase that came to mind when thinking about each party, with responses grouped into general categories such as positive or negative. Overall, around 40% of U.S. adults used negative descriptors—such as “dishonest” or “stupid”—to characterize the parties.
But dissatisfaction was especially pronounced among Democrats. Nearly nine months after Donald Trump secured a second term, Democrats were more critical of their own party than Republicans were of theirs. In fact, Republicans were about twice as likely to view their party in a positive light.
