Disillusioned Voters Favor Democrats in U.S. Midterms, Poll Finds

A new national survey suggests many Americans hold unfavorable views of both major political parties, though voters dissatisfied with both sides currently lean toward Democratic candidates ahead of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.

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The poll, conducted by CNN and research firm SSRS, found widespread frustration with the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Among the roughly one-quarter of Americans who view both parties negatively—sometimes referred to as “double haters”—Democrats currently hold a substantial lead in congressional voting preference.

Dissatisfaction With Both Parties

According to the survey, voters who dislike both parties favor Democratic candidates by a margin of 31 percentage points in the midterm elections. Analysts say this group can play a decisive role in tight national contests.

Voters with negative views of both parties have influenced previous elections. In 2016, those who viewed both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton unfavorably ultimately broke in Trump’s favor. They also leaned Republican in the 2022 midterm elections, according to exit polling.

The latest poll suggests that current dissatisfaction among these voters is driven more by opposition to Republicans than by enthusiasm for Democrats.

Only 28% of Americans say they hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party, while the Republican Party receives slightly higher approval at 32%. The difference is partly due to stronger support among Republican voters for their own party compared with Democrats’ views of theirs.

Generic Ballot Advantage

Among registered voters overall, Democrats hold a modest lead when asked which party they would support if congressional elections were held today. The party’s candidates lead Republicans by six percentage points on the generic ballot.

The gap widens among those who describe themselves as highly motivated to vote. In that group, 57% favor Democratic candidates compared with 38% who support Republicans.

Political scientists often note that turnout among the most engaged voters can be decisive in midterm elections, particularly when one party’s base shows stronger enthusiasm.

Reasons for Discontent

Respondents who expressed negative views toward both parties cited different concerns about each.

Among those dissatisfied with Democrats, the most common criticism was that the party fails to accomplish enough in government. Others said Democrats do not push back strongly enough against Trump and Republicans, while some described the party as too liberal or ineffective.

Criticism of Republicans often centered on the party’s relationship with Trump. Some respondents said the GOP fails to stand up to the former president, while others cited concerns about corruption or said the party does not represent ordinary people’s interests.

One independent respondent wrote that the political environment in Washington is marked by deep division and an inability to compromise.

Internal Divisions Within Parties

Despite the broader dissatisfaction, most voters aligned with each party still see their own side as relatively united.

About one-third of Democratic-aligned adults say their party is divided, while fewer than one in five Republicans say the same about the GOP.

However, survey responses indicate that some internal disagreements remain. Among Democratic voters, many say issues related to U.S. policy toward Israel have created tensions within the party. Others point to disagreements over ideological direction and whether elected Democrats should cooperate with Trump.

Republican voters also see divisions within their party, particularly around the GOP’s policy priorities, ideological direction, and whether Republican officials should publicly oppose Trump.

Leaders Remain Unpopular

Congressional leaders from both parties also receive negative public ratings. Republican leaders Mike Johnson and John Thune and Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer all recorded unfavorable net ratings among the public.

Schumer posted particularly low figures, with a net favorability rating of minus 32 among the public overall.

The poll surveyed 1,201 adults nationwide between March 26 and March 30 through online and telephone interviews. The margin of sampling error for the full sample is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 4 April 2026