For the first time in more than 20 years, neither Republicans nor Democrats are viewed favorably by more than about a third of U.S. voters. Both parties garner less than 40 percent favorability — with Republicans suffering a particularly severe slide in public opinion.
Only 37 percent of Americans view the Republican Party favorably, while 39 percent view the Democratic Party in a favorable light, according to a new Gallup survey.
Since Gallup began tracking party favorability in 1992, this is the first time neither party has been at or above 40 percent.
Both parties are viewed unfavorably by solid majorities of Americans. Some 53 percent of poll respondents have unfavorable views of the GOP, compared to 51 percent who view Democrats unfavorably.
While Democrats’ favorability has risen a bit since it hit a record low of 36 percent after the 2014 midterms, Republicans have seen a considerable drop since last autumn. Forty percent viewed Republicans favorably last September, and that figure rose to 42 percent in November. Since winning a Senate majority in the midterms, the GOP has seen its favorability slip five percentage points, to its current 37-percent level.
The random survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults was conducted March 5-8 with a margin of error of plus or minus of four percentage points.
