The evidence continues to mount that the midterm elections weren’t a fluke, but a wave. Gallup released survey data Tuesday showing the American people overwhelmingly want Republicans to lead the nation’s agenda by a margin of 53 to 36 percent over President Barack Obama. New Gallup data shows just how unpopular Democrats are across the board with the public.
Just 36 percent of Americans view the Democratic Party favorably, an all-time low, down from 51 percent just 2 years ago and 42 percent just last month.
Republicans, conversely, have seen a dramatic turnaround in their favorability. The GOP enjoys a 42 percent favorability rating, up from their all-time low of just 28 percent during last year’s government shutdown. Gallup has President Obama’s approval rating at 41.5 percent.
Former Speaker of the House and Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told Politico, “There was no wave of approval for the Republicans. I wish them congratulations, they won the election, but there was no wave of approval for anybody. There was an ebbing, an ebb tide, for us.” Gallup’s data suggests otherwise.
Gallup writes, “After the 2012 election, many political analysts focused on the GOP’s ‘image problem.’ Now, it is the Democrats who appear to have the more battered image. Their favorability rating has never been lower, and they are reeling from defeats that cost them control of the U.S. Senate and strengthened the Republican House majority to levels likely not seen in 90 years.”
As for the Republican’s recent reversal of fortune, Gallup warns, “This newfound power could pose its own problems for the GOP. The party could be on the verge of winning over a greater segment of the country or, not unlike the Democrats this year, could see its brand go into a free fall. This will depend on what Republican leaders do in the coming two years.”