The Democratic Party has fallen into disarray, as its rank and file publicly fight amongst each other, its leaders desperately try to find a cohesive message to deliver and the right leader to unite behind after a devastating loss to President Trump, and its popularity sinks to a record low.
Only a quarter of registered voters, or 27%, in a new NBC News poll say they have positive views of the party, the Democrats’ lowest positive rating in the outlet’s polling going back to 1990. Just 7% say those views are “very” positive.
“With these numbers, the Democratic Party is not in need of a rebrand. It needs to be rebooted,” said Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies. The pollsters interviewed 1,000 registered voters between March 7 and 11.
A CNN poll found similar results among American adults. The Democratic Party’s favorability rating, according to the outlet’s survey conducted between March 6 and 9, stands at just 29% — a record low in CNN’s polling dating back to 1992 and a drop of 20 points since January 2021, when President Joseph R. Biden succeeded Mr. Trump in the White House.
The poll shows how fed up Democrats are with their party. That anger is boiling over at Senate Democrats, and at Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, who backed a Republican government funding bill on Friday to avoid a government shutdown.
Republicans control the Senate 53-47 and needed Democrats’ help to clear the 60-vote threshold to end debate on the legislation.
SEE ALSO: Rep. Jasmine Crockett suggests fellow Democrats to reconsider if Chuck Schumer can lead party
Ten Senate Democrats joined most Republicans to advance the bill, 62-38. The final bill passed 54-46 largely along party lines. Mr. Trump signed the legislation Saturday.
Asked about the defections, Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “Well, it’s what I just talked about. I mean, I think Americans want the Democratic Party to stand up and fight and to take risks.”
“I understand that had we gone into a shutdown, even for a handful of days, it would have been difficult,” Mr. Murphy said. “But it would have sent a message that the Democratic Party is not going to be bullied by Donald Trump. We are not going to let them write spending bills unilaterally that cut programs for people we care about.”
Mr. Murphy is among those whose name is being suggested as a potential leader to replace Mr. Schumer, if the New York Democrat steps down from his leadership post.
Mr. Murphy said he supports Mr. Schumer to lead the caucus and that he doesn’t think “anybody’s having” conversations about replacing him “right now.”
But House Democrats were outraged over Mr. Schumer’s decision not to block the spending bill and openly questioned his leadership after the vote.
SEE ALSO: New poll shows Democratic Party’s popularity at an all-time low
“I think Senate Democrats have to sit down and take a look and decide whether or not Chuck Schumer is the one to lead in this moment,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York responded “next question” when a reporter asked at a press conference if he had confidence in Mr. Schumer’s leadership.
“When Donald Trump wakes up in the morning and says,’ You’re doing the right things, Senate Democrats’ — we don’t feel that is the right place to be,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, the House Democratic Caucus chair.
Mr. Schumer is not up for reelection until 2028, when he will be 78 years old. Younger New York Democrats, including Reps. Ritchie Torres and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are already being considered for his seat.
“I can tell you that there are a lot of people that are watching his leadership in this moment. This is the moment we don’t even know what elections will look like in four years — if we will even have elections,” Ms. Crockett said.
“So I definitely think that younger, fresher leadership may be something that many of us, not just depending on what part of the spectrum you’re on, but many Americans may be looking for, especially in the state of New York.”
