Polling News

Neither Party Is Well Liked, But GOP Has Advantage On Issues

October 05, 2023

The two major parties are unpopular, according to Gallup trends. However, more Americans believe the Republican Party will do a better job handling the most important problems facing the country and their families.

Why It Matters: Forty-four percent of Americans believe Republicans will do a better job handling the issues that are most important to them, compared to just 36% of Americans who have more faith in Democrats. Republicans also lead on specific issues like the economy and national security, as they have over the course of the last 30 years of Gallup surveys.

 

By The Numbers:

  • On the economy, 53% of Americans believe Republicans will do a better job keeping the country prosperous, while only 39% say the Democrat Party will do a better job. This is the biggest Republican advantage since mid-1991.
  • On national security, 57% of Americans believe Republicans will do a better job protecting the country, compared to just 35% of Americans who say Democrats will. Republicans have led on this in every survey except for two since 2002.
  • Fifty-six percent of Americans view the Republican Party unfavorably, compared to 58% of Americans who view the Democrat Party unfavorably. 
     

The Bottom Line: Republicans continue dominating opinion on the economy and national security, but even more importantly, more Americans have the perception Republicans will handle their specific problems – whatever they may be – better than Democrats. This could be a result of competency, policy, or empathy. That said, Republicans continue to grab defeat from the jaws of victory, as we saw with the speaker debacle in the U.S. House this week. Americans want Republicans to lead, but a fraction of the party continues getting things off track. If Republicans put Americans first, and quit the chaotic antics, they’ll be successful in 2024. If they cannot, Democrats will again win, as they did in 2022, 2020, and 2018. Even though Americans know Republicans are more competent and will fix things, voting against chaos wins every time. 

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