Following the 2024 elections, a new Pew Research Center poll reveals an obvious decline in optimism among Democrats regarding their party’s future, reaching the lowest levels observed in eight years.
Conducted from November 12 to 17, the survey also highlights ongoing trends in public perception of President-elect Donald Trump. While many Americans express confidence in his economic plans, negative assessments persist regarding his personal attributes.
Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 51% report feeling optimistic about their party’s prospects, while 49% hold a pessimistic view. This marks a rise in pessimism compared to 2016, when 38% felt this way after Trump’s initial victory, and 2020, when only 17% expressed such sentiments following Joe Biden’s win. Democrats also reported less pessimism after the 2018 and 2022 midterm elections.
Trump’s policies are met with mixed reactions as his economic plans gain approval, but trust in his character remains low
Republicans, by contrast, show increased confidence in their party. Currently, 86% of Republican-aligned adults express optimism about the GOP’s future, up from 65% two years ago. Similar levels of optimism were recorded after Trump’s 2016 election and the 2018 midterms, with slightly lower figures following Biden’s 2020 victory.
Younger Democrats exhibit greater pessimism, with 55% of those under 50 expressing concerns about the party’s future, compared to 39% of older Democratic-aligned adults.
Nationally, 50% of Americans believe the Republican Party represents their interests to some degree, compared to 43% for the Democratic Party. While the Democratic figure remains unchanged from mid-2023, the GOP has gained 11 percentage points, driven primarily by growing confidence among Republican-aligned adults.
Trump’s policies receive mixed reactions. About 53% of respondents approve of his plans for the future, with the same proportion supporting his conduct post-election. Confidence is higher for his economic policies (59%) and handling of criminal justice and immigration issues (54% and 53%, respectively).
However, fewer trust his decisions on abortion (45%) or his ability to unite the country (41%). Less than half view him as empathetic (45%), honest (42%), even-tempered (37%), or a good role model (34%).
Fifty percent of Americans express positive emotions about Trump’s victory, with 22% feeling excited and 28% relieved. Thirty three percent feel disappointed, and 15% are angry. One-third report being surprised by his win.
When asked to rate their feelings toward Trump on a scale of 0 to 100, 43% give him a “warm” score of 51 or above—an increase from 36% in 2016 and 34% in 2020. Among Republicans, 78% rate him warmly, while only 9% of Democrats share that sentiment.
Perceptions of Trump’s ideology have also shifted, with 64% of Americans now describing his views as conservative on most or all issues, up from 46% in 2016. The Pew poll, based on responses from 9,609 U.S. adults, carries a margin of error of ±1.5 percentage points.
