Poll Analysis Reveals: Democrats in Congress Should Be Very Afraid.
Democratic voters are experiencing deeper levels of anger than you might realize.
TroibNews 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is acutely aware that the Democratic base is extremely angry — and not just a little angry.
The depth of frustration within the party has reached unprecedented levels, indicating a significant divide between congressional Democrats and the grassroots that could reshape the 2026 primary election season.
Historically, congressional Democrats enjoyed greater approval from their voting base compared to Republicans. However, the fallout from the 2024 presidential election defeat seems to have fractured that relationship. According to a review of Quinnipiac University’s annual first-quarter congressional polling, congressional Democrats now face disapproval from their own voters for the first time in the poll's history.
Currently, just 40 percent of Democrats approve of congressional Democrats' job performance, while 49 percent disapprove. This marks a stark contrast to a year ago when 75 percent approved and only 21 percent disapproved. The discontent among the Democratic base is profound, echoing the sentiments of Republican grassroots activists during the lead-up to Donald Trump’s takeover of their party.
The statistics reveal a shift: dissatisfied with the status quo, Democrats may be on the cusp of a Tea Party-style revolt within the party.
This dissatisfaction among Democrats is unprecedented — and it doesn't stem from simply losing the last election. After Democrats initially lost to Donald Trump, they actually experienced a rise in approval ratings among their voters, as many viewed party leadership's resistance to the Trump administration favorably in early 2017. A similar scenario was observed among Republicans in 2021, where, despite Trump's defeat and the events of January 6, GOP voters retained a generally positive view of their congressional leaders.
A comparable instance of discontent among party members occurred about a decade ago when Dave Brat, an unknown Republican, unseated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a surprising primary defeat in 2014.
Two years later, Trump surged past a competitive field of traditional candidates, permanently altering Republican politics.
Notably, the current displeasure within the Democratic Party doesn’t appear to be driven by a consensus on moving the party either left or right. Recent Gallup polling indicates a split: 45 percent wish for a more moderate party, while 29 percent call for a shift to the left, and 22 percent want to maintain the status quo.
Instead, the data points to anger rooted in dissatisfaction with the congressional leadership’s generally conciliatory tactics toward Trump, along with their failure to effectively oppose him. Polls from CNN and Data For Progress highlight that a significant majority of Democratic voters want party leaders to more aggressively challenge the president — a demand that has contributed to the backlash against Schumer for facilitating the GOP's passage of a budget resolution funding the government.
Historical trends suggest that such dissatisfaction is unlikely to endure without significant changes in the party, especially since these voters lack viable alternatives. As third parties continue to see decreases in their vote shares and polarization grows between the two dominant parties, the likelihood of discontented Democrats voting for non-Democratic candidates remains very low.
This situation intensifies the stakes for the 2026 primary elections. Political science research indicates that partisans who feel strongly about their party's leadership are often the most likely to vote, making it unclear whether the party will experience a decline in turnout as a result.
Nevertheless, this environment sets the stage for a potentially tumultuous series of primaries in both the House and Senate. Thirteen Democratic-held Senate seats are up for reelection next year, many involving long-serving senators in solidly blue states, which raises the possibility of new, insurgent candidates emerging that are more aligned with the party base, mirroring challenges the GOP has faced over the past fifteen years.
Some progressive groups have already called for Chuck Schumer to step down as party leader following his vote for a GOP stopgap funding bill. Democratic House representatives have also been met with grassroots backlash during recent town halls, facing tense interactions with frustrated liberal constituents.
Ignoring this unrest and hoping Democrats will eventually rally back to support is not a wise strategy. The Republican establishment learned that lesson the hard way in 2010 and the following two election cycles, when incumbents and party-supported candidates were often caught in fierce primaries resulting in unexpected defeats.
Just ask Eric Cantor.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
The depth of frustration within the party has reached unprecedented levels, indicating a significant divide between congressional Democrats and the grassroots that could reshape the 2026 primary election season.
Historically, congressional Democrats enjoyed greater approval from their voting base compared to Republicans. However, the fallout from the 2024 presidential election defeat seems to have fractured that relationship. According to a review of Quinnipiac University’s annual first-quarter congressional polling, congressional Democrats now face disapproval from their own voters for the first time in the poll's history.
Currently, just 40 percent of Democrats approve of congressional Democrats' job performance, while 49 percent disapprove. This marks a stark contrast to a year ago when 75 percent approved and only 21 percent disapproved. The discontent among the Democratic base is profound, echoing the sentiments of Republican grassroots activists during the lead-up to Donald Trump’s takeover of their party.
The statistics reveal a shift: dissatisfied with the status quo, Democrats may be on the cusp of a Tea Party-style revolt within the party.
This dissatisfaction among Democrats is unprecedented — and it doesn't stem from simply losing the last election. After Democrats initially lost to Donald Trump, they actually experienced a rise in approval ratings among their voters, as many viewed party leadership's resistance to the Trump administration favorably in early 2017. A similar scenario was observed among Republicans in 2021, where, despite Trump's defeat and the events of January 6, GOP voters retained a generally positive view of their congressional leaders.
A comparable instance of discontent among party members occurred about a decade ago when Dave Brat, an unknown Republican, unseated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a surprising primary defeat in 2014.
Two years later, Trump surged past a competitive field of traditional candidates, permanently altering Republican politics.
Notably, the current displeasure within the Democratic Party doesn’t appear to be driven by a consensus on moving the party either left or right. Recent Gallup polling indicates a split: 45 percent wish for a more moderate party, while 29 percent call for a shift to the left, and 22 percent want to maintain the status quo.
Instead, the data points to anger rooted in dissatisfaction with the congressional leadership’s generally conciliatory tactics toward Trump, along with their failure to effectively oppose him. Polls from CNN and Data For Progress highlight that a significant majority of Democratic voters want party leaders to more aggressively challenge the president — a demand that has contributed to the backlash against Schumer for facilitating the GOP's passage of a budget resolution funding the government.
Historical trends suggest that such dissatisfaction is unlikely to endure without significant changes in the party, especially since these voters lack viable alternatives. As third parties continue to see decreases in their vote shares and polarization grows between the two dominant parties, the likelihood of discontented Democrats voting for non-Democratic candidates remains very low.
This situation intensifies the stakes for the 2026 primary elections. Political science research indicates that partisans who feel strongly about their party's leadership are often the most likely to vote, making it unclear whether the party will experience a decline in turnout as a result.
Nevertheless, this environment sets the stage for a potentially tumultuous series of primaries in both the House and Senate. Thirteen Democratic-held Senate seats are up for reelection next year, many involving long-serving senators in solidly blue states, which raises the possibility of new, insurgent candidates emerging that are more aligned with the party base, mirroring challenges the GOP has faced over the past fifteen years.
Some progressive groups have already called for Chuck Schumer to step down as party leader following his vote for a GOP stopgap funding bill. Democratic House representatives have also been met with grassroots backlash during recent town halls, facing tense interactions with frustrated liberal constituents.
Ignoring this unrest and hoping Democrats will eventually rally back to support is not a wise strategy. The Republican establishment learned that lesson the hard way in 2010 and the following two election cycles, when incumbents and party-supported candidates were often caught in fierce primaries resulting in unexpected defeats.
Just ask Eric Cantor.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
