Washington Voters Voice Frustration With Democratic Party

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WASHINGTON, D.C. A new nationwide survey reveals a significant number of Democratic voters feel their party lacks direction and strength, with many using terms like “weak,” “ineffective,” and “disorganized” to describe it. In contrast, Republicans showed greater confidence in their party, despite some internal criticism.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, conducted July 10–14, asked 1,437 adults to describe the two major political parties using the first words or phrases that came to mind. The responses were then grouped into broad categories reflecting sentiment.

According to the poll, nearly one-third of Democrats used negative language about their party. About 15% described it as “weak” or “apathetic,” while roughly 10% said it was broadly “ineffective” or lacked organization. In comparison, only 2 in 10 Democrats gave their party a positive rating, with terms such as “empathetic” and “inclusive.”

Republicans, on the other hand, were twice as likely as Democrats to speak positively about their party. Around 4 in 10 Republicans described the GOP using terms like “patriotic,” “conservative,” “hardworking,” and “freedom-oriented.” Only about 20% voiced negative views, using words like “greedy” or “corrupt.”

Cathia Krehbiel, a Democrat from Indianola, Iowa, told the Associated Press that her party’s response to Republican-led leadership has been lacking. “They’re spineless,” she said. “There’s so much going wrong, and they speak up a little but then roll right over.”

The results come nine months after President Donald Trump secured a second term, further solidifying Republican control in Washington. The data suggests ongoing frustration among Democratic voters who feel their party leadership is not effectively countering Republican policy momentum.

Some Democrats now say they feel so let down that they may sit out the next round of elections, a potentially damaging trend as the party attempts to regain ground in the 2026 midterm contests.

Jim Williams, a 78-year-old from Harper Woods, Michigan, typically backs Democrat candidates but expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s messaging. “Their message is so murky,” he said. Despite his discontent, he maintains strong disapproval of Trump’s influence on the Republican Party, saying, “They’ve got no morals, no ethics.”

Meanwhile, Republican voters largely credited the GOP with charting a positive direction, even as some acknowledged economic hardships tied to current policies.

Samuel Washington, 65, from Chicago, credited Trump’s leadership while blaming the economic challenges on prior administrations. “There’s a lot of pain, but it’s the result of 12 years of misuse and misguided leadership from the Democratic Party,” he said. “I’m feeling really good about the Republicans and the direction we’re going.”

Still, not all Republicans were satisfied. Dick Grayson, an 83-year-old veteran from Tennessee, expressed concern about the party’s loyalty to Trump and rising federal debt. “I’ve always been a Republican, but I’m disillusioned about both parties,” he noted, referring to the projected $3.3 trillion added to the national debt from recent spending packages, as cited by the Congressional Budget Office.

Across the full spectrum of respondents, the GOP received slightly more negative ratings than Democrats, 43% compared to 39%, respectively. However, much of the criticism came from partisan opponents and independent voters, many of whom remain skeptical of both major parties.

Curtis Musser, a 60-year-old independent voter from Florida, said both sides have drifted too far into extremes. “Maybe we need a serious third party,” he said, expressing cautious optimism about Elon Musk’s proposed ‘America Party,’ which has yet to formally launch.

The AP-NORC poll was drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel to reflect the general U.S. adult population. The reported margin of error is ±3.6 percentage points.