RNC national press secretary Kiersten Pels told Newsweek on Friday, "Democrats shut down DHS, ripped paychecks away from frontline workers, and threatened national security just to protect illegal aliens over American citizens. President Trump and Republicans stand with law and order and are focused on delivering an America First agenda and keeping Americans safe. That contrast is exactly why voters are breaking toward the GOP."
Newsweek also reached out to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for comment via email.
The poll could be a warning for Democrats about how voters view their party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, when the party hopes to reclaim control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Historically, the party in the White House loses seats in the midterms, and President Donald Trump's approval rating has slipped over the past year, fueling Democrats' optimism about the midterms. But polls continue showing Democrats are not particularly popular among the electorate -- largely due to frustration from their own voters.
The new poll from CNN/SSRS released this week revealed that 28 percent of voters view the Democratic Party favorably, while 32 percent hold a favorable view of the Republican Party. CNN noted that is in part because "Republicans take a more positive view of their own party than do Democrats."
Sixty-three percent of Democrats view their own party favorably, compared to 76 percent of Republicans.
However, Democrats hold a significant advantage among Americans who dislike both parties. Voters who hold a negative view of both major parties plan to vote for Democrats by a 31-point margin in the midterms, the poll found. In total, Democrats lead the generic ballot by six points.
Even if Democrats aren't a fan of the party right now, 96 percent of them still plan to vote for Democratic candidates in the midterms, compared to only 91 percent of Republican voters who plan to vote for their own party, according to the survey.
The poll surveyed 1,201 adults from March 26-30 and had a margin of error of plus 3.2 percentage points.
That's in line with other polling. RealClearPolitics' polling aggregate on Friday showed that Democrats have a net favorability rating of -19.2 points, with 55.4 percent viewing the party unfavorably and 36.2 percent viewing it favorably. Meanwhile, Republicans' net favorability sat at -14.5 points, with 54 percent holding unfavorable views toward the party and 39.4 percent holding favorable views.
However, the latest poll from YouGov and The Economist found the opposite. It showed 34 percent of voters viewing Democrats favorably and 55 percent unfavorably, while 32 percent viewed Republicans favorably and 58 percent unfavorably.
The poll surveyed 1,679 adults from March 27-30, 2026.
Polls throughout the second Trump administration have found that Democratic voters are not viewing the party favorably after former Vice President Kamala Harris' loss in the 2024 election.
Over the first year of Trump's second administration, many Democrats felt that their representatives in Washington, D.C. were not fighting hard enough against his policies on matters like immigration.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, for instance faced a tsunami of party backlash in March 2025 after he declined to block a Republican-led stopgap bill to avoid a government shutdown. Schumer and eight other Democrats voted in favor of a procedural motion to allow debate on the bill but ultimately voted against its passage. That vote, however, allowed it to pass the filibuster and become law, Democratic critics say.
Schumer may face a challenge to his leadership next year. Some Democratic Senate candidates such as Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, who secured the party's nomination in the Senate race earlier in March, have said they would not support Schumer as leader.
Todd Belt, director of the Political Management Program at George Washington University, previously told Newsweek that Democrats have not been able to capitalize on Trump's declining popularity as voters "are also very frustrated with their party's seeming inability to stand up to Trump." Democrats have not "given voters anything to vote for," he said.
Democrats have taken steps to address their popularity problem, with the DNC unveiling a new Organizing and Political Playbook designed to help boost the party in the midterms, Newsweek previously reported. The playbook lays out its recommendations in three categories: incorporating new voter contact methods, prioritizing ongoing relationships with voters, and redesigning the day-to-day work of organizers
Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, said on NBC News' Meet the Press last weekend: "I'm proud of so many things that my Democratic colleagues are doing, but as a whole, our party has failed this moment. It's why I've called for new leadership in America. I've called for a generational renewal because this left-right divide is killing our country and our adversaries know it."
CNN data analyst Harry Enten wrote to X: "Congressional Dems' numbers with Dems are atrociously awful. (Even worse among all voters.) Most Dems (55 percent) think their party has the wrong priorities! Unlike 2006 or 2018, Dem leaders have a negative net approval with Dems! Schumer is on thin ice to hold his job next year."
Polls will be closely watched ahead of the midterms. The extent to which the polls could signal turnout or enthusiasm concerns for Democrats remains to be seen.