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Trump’s GOP Just Lost Its Party Affiliation Lead Despite Record Unpopularity for Dems

Democrats now hold a slight lead even though the party’s approval rating is at a record low.

Donald Trump’s Republicans have lost their recent edge in overall party affiliation, according to Gallup data published Thursday, with Democrats now holding a slight lead nationally despite their own approval rating hitting a record low. In the second quarter of the year, 46 percent of U.S. adults identified as Democrats or leaned Democratic, compared to 43 percent identifying as or leaning Republican. That 3-point lead marks a reversal from the last quarter of 2024, when Republicans held a 4-point advantage and won back both the White House and control of Congress. Gallup said the shift was driven “entirely” by an increase in independents leaning Democratic—up 4 points to 19 percent. Gallup said the Democrats’ favorability rating fell to 34 percent—the party’s lowest since it started tracking the measure in 1992. “Further, Americans are no more likely to believe Democrats are better than Republicans at managing the federal government or bringing about changes the country needs,” Gallup said in a commentary.