With Trump in White House, Democrats increasingly say their party must moderate

After the Democratic Party’s well-publicized setbacks in November’s elections, a new national poll indicates Democrats increasingly want their party to moderate by moving toward the center. The survey, conducted by Gallup, also suggests an increasing percentage of Republicans support the GOP staying the same ideologically.

According to the poll, a plurality of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents – 45% – said they want their party to become more moderate. This marks an 11 percentage point increase since 2021, at the start of former President Biden’s single term in the White House. Conversely, the desire for a more liberal party among Democrats has declined by five points to 29%, while preferences for no change in party ideology have fallen by nine points to 22%.

The poll was conducted from January 21-27, in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s inauguration and at the beginning of his second term in office. Trump recaptured the presidency in November, with Republicans winning back the Senate majority and Democrats failing to regain control of the House of Representatives. Republicans made significant gains among Black and Hispanic voters, as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base.

Gallup notes that the Democrats’ current sentiment may be a reaction to their losses in 2024, as they look ahead to the 2026 elections. Support among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents for the party to stay ideologically the same has jumped nine points, from 34% in 2021 to 43% now. Meanwhile, the desire for a more conservative party among Republicans has plummeted by 12 points to 28%.

Since his first election in 2016, Trump has wielded significant influence over Republicans, transforming the GOP into a more populist party of loyalists who strongly support his “America First” agenda. The Gallup poll indicates that two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning voters identify as conservative, with 31% considering themselves moderate and just 2% labeling themselves as liberal.

The release of the Gallup poll follows another national survey that spelled trouble for the Democrats. According to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted last month, only 31% of respondents had a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, while 57% viewed the party unfavorably. This marks the highest percentage of voters with an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking this question.

In contrast, 43% of respondents had a favorable view of the GOP, with 45% holding an unfavorable opinion – the highest favorable rating for the Republican Party ever in Quinnipiac polling. The shifting sentiments within both major parties indicate a potential reconfiguration of political ideologies and strategies leading up to the 2026 midterm elections.