Number of Americans Identifying as Republicans Lowest in Decade – Gallup Poll

Gallup routinely measures the party identification of American adults and the political leanings of independents. The latest survey surveyed a random sample of 3,960 American adults by phone between January and March 2021. And while Democratic Party affiliation actually dropped by one point from the fourth quarter of 2020, to 30%, where it was kept for most of the past. eight years: The number of Americans who identified as independent increased to 44% from 38% last quarter. And this growing number of independents came at the expense of the Republican party, with 19% of independents saying they lean Democrats, compared to 15% leaning Republicans. Most of the remaining 11% of independents did not move in any way.

And there have been several events during those three months that could position the Democratic Party more favorably in the eyes of the voters, the Gallup report noted. These include Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee and winner of the 2020 US presidential election, which opens in January. His inauguration came just two weeks after supporters of former President Donald Trump, a Republican, attacked the United States Capitol building on January 6. Read more: Dozens of protesters on Jan.6 apologized and repudiated his claims to ‘stop the robbery’ The first quarter also saw a steady decline in deaths and coronavirus infections in the US from a spike in early January after of Biden taking office; the expansion of COVID-19 vaccines throughout the country; as well as the approval of Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid package. Of course, the gap between Democratic and Republican affiliation has been wider in the past, as when Democrats enjoyed double-digit advantages for most of 2006 through early 2009. That period included the end of George’s administration. W. Bush, while the Republican president was quite unpopular, and the election of the Democratic president Obama. Democrats also previously enjoyed double-digit membership benefits by the time Bill Clinton was elected president in late 1992. The report notes that Republicans enjoyed membership benefits for incumbent Republican presidents George HW Bush after the victory. of the United States in 1991 in the Gulf War, and George W. Bush after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Republican Party has also taken the lead in party affiliation after raids in the mid-term elections. Republicans ranks in 1994, 2010 and 2014. Gallup suggests that the 2022 midterm elections could also give Republicans a chance to increase their ranks among voters again if they occupy back seats in the Senate and the house.