A new survey reveals that Democrats are feeling increasingly uncertain about the trajectory of their party following President-elect Trump’s recent victory over Vice President Harris. The Pew Research Center report, released on Friday, indicates that 49 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents hold a pessimistic view of their party’s future, while 51 percent remain “very or somewhat optimistic.”
This level of negativity has risen so much, climbing over 20 percentage points since the 2022 midterm elections. The current sentiment also surpasses the dismay felt after Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss to Trump, showing an increase of 10 percentage points in party pessimism.
Pessimism reigns among Democrats, signaling a troubling move in party morale since Trump’s latest victory
Among Democrats, younger members under 50 are more likely to express negative sentiments compared to their older counterparts, with a 50 percent to 39 percent split. Progressive Democrats have also reported more pessimistic attitudes than moderates, registering 52 percent versus 46 percent, respectively.
On the Republican side, optimism about their party’s direction is noticeably stronger. GOP positivity has reached 86 percent, a rise compared to the 79 percent reported after Trump’s first victory in 2016. Following the 2022 midterms, optimism among Republicans was at 65 percent, a likely reflection of unmet expectations for a “red wave.”
The survey highlights that conservative Republicans exhibit the highest levels of confidence in their party, with 92 percent feeling optimistic, compared to 78 percent of moderates or liberal-leaning members.
Additionally, Pew’s findings suggest that more Americans perceive the GOP as representing their interests. Fifty percent of respondents believe the Republican Party reflects their views “somewhat or very well,” compared to 43 percent for the Democratic Party. The survey was conducted from November 12-17, involving 9,609 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of 1.5 percentage points.
