A new national survey is flashing warning signs for Democrats as they try to recover from last year’s electoral losses and position themselves for next year’s midterms.
Just 18% of voters surveyed in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday said they approve of how Democrats in Congress are doing their jobs, while 73% said they disapprove. Quinnipiac said it’s the lowest approval rating Democrats in Congress have recorded since the poll began tracking the question 16 years ago.
The findings add to a growing list of surveys this year showing the Democratic Party’s broader image under strain, even as the party attempts to flip congressional control in the next election cycle.
Notably, the dissatisfaction isn’t coming only from outside the party. Among Democratic respondents, just 43% approved of their party’s lawmakers in Congress, while 48% disapproved—an internal divide that helps explain the steep overall numbers.
Still, Democrats may take some comfort from one topline midterm measure: 47% of voters said they would prefer the Democratic Party to win control of the House next year, compared with 43% who want Republicans to keep their majority.
Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy framed the results as a party wrestling with itself: Democratic voters, he said, want their party back in charge but are unhappy with what they’re seeing right now.
The broader context for Democrats remains challenging. After last year’s elections, the party was left without the White House and Senate and fell short of retaking the House. Republicans also made notable gains among Black, Hispanic, and younger voters—groups long central to the Democratic coalition.
Since President Donald Trump returned to office in January, Democratic activists and voters have pushed party leaders to take a sharper line against what they view as a sweeping and controversial second-term agenda. Much of that frustration has been aimed not only at Republicans, but also at Democrats perceived as too cautious or too quiet in their opposition.
At the same time, Democrats have shown signs of renewed momentum, pointing to decisive wins in last month’s 2025 elections and stronger-than-expected performances in multiple special elections this year.
Republicans, meanwhile, aren’t escaping voter skepticism in the same poll. Only 35% of respondents approved of how Republicans in Congress are handling their jobs, while 58% disapproved. But unlike Democrats, GOP voters are largely aligned behind their leadership: 77% of Republicans said they approve of the job their party’s lawmakers in Congress are doing, with 18% disapproving.
And in the same survey—conducted Dec. 11–15—Trump’s job approval stood at 40%, with 54% disapproving of his performance in the White House.
