"I think what we have to do as a party is battle the damage to the Democratic brand," Democratic National Committee Chairman Jamie Harrison said on The Daily Beast's latest New Abnormal podcast. Gallup reported Wednesday that, at least relatively speaking, the Democratic brand is doing pretty good. In the first quarter of 2021, 49 percent of U.S. adults identified as Democrats or independents with Democratic leanings, versus 40 percent for Republicans and GOP leaders, Gallup said. "The 9-percentage-point Democratic advantage is the largest Gallup has measured since the fourth quarter of 2012. In recent years, Democratic advantages have typically been between 4 and 6 percentage points." New Gallup polling finds that in the first quarter of 2021, an average of 49% of Americans identify with/lean toward the Democratic Party, versus 40 percent for Republicans. That's the largest gap since 2012:https://t.co/YpUvqBKxLx pic.twitter.com/JrNXQvisbv — Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) April 7, 2021 When Gallup stripped out the independents, 30 percent of U.S. adults identified as Democrats, 25 percent as Republicans, and 11 percent were independents with no partisan leanings. The rise in the number of independents, to 44 percent from 38 percent in the previous quarter, "correlates with the decline in Republican Party identification, just as in 2013, when the GOP saw a drop in the popularity during the government shutdown over the Affordable Care Act," Gallup says. Democratic affiliation has hovered around 30 percent for most of the past eight years. Party identification, polled on every Gallup survey, is "something that we think is important to track to give a sense to the relevant strength of the two parties at any one point in time and how party preferences are responding to events," Gallup senior editor Jeff Jones told USA Today. Republicans recovered from their 2013 deficit "to make gains in the 2014 midterm elections and are hoping to duplicate that feat in 2022," Gallup notes. "Like in 2014, their hopes may rest largely on the popularity level of the incumbent Democratic president." Gallup currently has President Biden's approval rating at 54 percent. Peter Weber

Why must we keep playing this game? This happens every time. There's always these articles that say how much Democrats are winning and how much Republicans are dying out. Then Democrats lose afterwards. We already did this. I'm so tired of doing the same thing over and over. Shit like this and the inevitable other studies that say the same shit will be used as reasons why Democrats don't have to try to win the election. They'll take it for granted that everyone is on their side and then get completely side-swiped.

    • DetroitLolcat [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Oh without a doubt. Democrats suck ass and cave to shit like the Senate Parliamentarian (lmao) when they have the opportunity to get shit done. Could you imagine Mitch McConnell giving up on his ghoul ass agenda because an office assitant told him no?

      • Sacred_Excrement [comrade/them]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Funnily, under the Bush admin the parliamentarian at the time did rule against what R's wanted. He got thrown out by then Senate Majority leader Trent Lott and was replaced; R's then proceeded to do what they wanted to do.

      • CanYouFeelItMrKrabs [any, he/him]
        ·
        4 years ago

        Could you imagine Mitch McConnell giving up on his ghoul ass agenda because an office assitant told him no?

        I mean yeah. They had a Senate majority under Trump and didn't pass any major legislation besides tax cuts under budget reconciliation. They could've added more to a reconciliation bill and told the parliamentarian to fuck off

    • ElGosso [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      Dems have dogshit local campaigning, Republicans have spent the last 30 years focused on controlling state legislatures just so they could rig everything - I remember reading an article about it 15 years ago - and Dems just stand around with their dicks out.