Americans trust the Democratic Party more than Republicans “to keep the country prosperous,” in Democrats’ first clear lead with voters on the economic issue in more than a decade in Gallup’s annual governance poll.
A majority of adults, 51 percent, chose Democrats when asked, “Which political party do you think will do a better job of keeping the country prosperous?” A smaller group, 37 percent, selected Republicans.
The findings are notable in a year when economic issues — which were key to President Donald Trump’s 2024 victory — once again top voters’ concerns in polls.
While most Americans favor their own party on this issue, Democrats hold a large advantage among independents, whom both parties are looking to win over this election cycle. Half of independents say the Democratic Party would do a better job of keeping the country prosperous, compared with 32 percent who said the Republicans would.
“In an election year, to have an advantage on the economy is a good place for a party to be. More often than not, if you have an advantage on the economy, you can win,” Gallup senior editor Jeff Jones said.
Three years ago, Republicans led with Americans on the prosperity question by the same 14-point margin that Democrats hold today. The reversal comes as the prices of groceries and gas have spiked as a result of Trump’s tariffs and the war with Iran, and as both parties’ candidates campaign on the promise to help ease the economic hardship faced by Americans.
The Democrats hold their largest lead on this measure since 2007, when the party led by 20 points, and their first clear lead since 2012. (The party held a lead by one percentage point in 2020.)
This is also reflected in other measures. While Republicans have long dominated Americans’ trust on national security, the Democratic Party currently holds a narrow lead on the issue, only the third time since Gallup first asked the question in 2002.
And the Democratic Party is viewed more favorably, generally, than the GOP for the first time since 2021. While neither party is viewed positively by a majority, 43 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, compared with 35 percent who view the Republican Party favorably.
The Democratic Party’s favorability with the American public has increased six percentage points since last year, while the Republican Party’s has declined by five.
The reversal in public opinion also comes as an increasing number of Americans perceive the Republican Party’s politics as far removed from the average American. While 43 percent of voters label the Democrats as “too extreme,” 59 percent said that about the Republican Party, an increase of 13 points since 2022.
Most Americans hold a dim view of movements they perceive as extreme, with 54 percent of voters viewing the left-wing Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) unfavorably and 61 percent holding a negative view of Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. The seven-point discrepancy is largely attributable to Americans being less familiar with the DSA than MAGA.
Gallup’s annual governance poll was conducted Sept. 1-17, and included interviews with 1,000 American adults.
The post Democrats hold big edge on economy in key poll for first time since 2012 appeared first on Washington Post.
