Yes, Dems’ Favorability Just Hit Record Lows, But 1992 Offers a Cautionary Tale

Yes, Dems’ Favorability Just Hit Record Lows, But 1992 Offers a Cautionary Tale

Republicans are celebrating new polls from NBC News and CNN, which show the Democratic Party at its lowest favorability since 1990 and 1992, respectively. While this is encouraging for the GOP, history serves as a reminder that despite similarly bleak numbers, Bill Clinton still won the presidency in 1992.

An NBC News poll released on Sunday found that only 27% of respondents have a positive view of the Democratic Party—the lowest rating since 1990. Among them, just 7% described their views as ‘very’ positive.

That same day, a CNN poll found that 29% of respondents had a “favorable” view of the Democratic Party—a level not seen since 1992. For context, when President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, just two weeks after the January 6 Capitol riot, the party’s favorability stood at 49%.

These results are certainly encouraging for Republicans. Given the Democratic Party’s increasingly aggressive “whatever it takes” approach to politics over the past decade—an approach that some argue is both unethical and potentially illegal—this decline in favorability is hardly surprising. Rather than offering original policy ideas or working with Republicans on issues that matter to most voters, Democratic lawmakers have focused their efforts almost entirely on obstructing President Donald Trump’s agenda.

What was surprising, however, was that Democratic voters largely approved of the party’s resistance and wanted it to continue. According to NBC News, “Democratic voters say they want their party to hold the line on their positions, even if it leads to gridlock, rather than focus on finding areas of compromise with the president.”

Similarly, CNN reported that “Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, by a margin of 57% to 42%, believe the party should prioritize blocking the Republican agenda rather than working with the GOP majority.”

During a Sunday interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, host Kristen Welker cited the new poll and asked Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) why he thinks “Democrats are failing to connect with Americans.”

Murphy, who sure acts like he’s conducting a ghost campaign for the 2028 presidential nomination, replied:

I think Americans want the Democratic Party to stand up and fight and to take risks. Listen, I understand that, had we gone into a shut down, even for a handful of days, it would have been difficult. But it would have sent a message that the Democratic Party is not going to be bullied by Donald Trump … That is the conversation that has to happen inside of the Democratic Party, inside our caucus. And if we don’t get that right, if we continue to work with Republicans, if we continue to hand Donald Trump more power, we are going to lose our democracy.

Kristen Welker asks Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) why he thinks the democrat party approval number are at record lows.

"We are not going to be bullied by Donald Trump…..If we continue to work with Republicans…we are going to lose our Democracy."

I for one think they should… pic.twitter.com/NdDL8ywYAG

— DeVory Darkins (@devorydarkins) March 16, 2025

Reacting to the disastrous polls and Murphy’s pledge to continue their path of resistance, The American Spectator’s David Catron concluded that “the Democratic Party is collapsing. It is so consumed by TDS that there is literally no room left for any positive policy agenda.”

“If characters like Sen. Murphy remain among the most visible representatives of the Democratic party, it will inevitably go the way of the Whigs,” he said.

Catron continued:

And it gets worse. As it happens, the CNN poll asked Democratic-aligned respondents which leader “best reflects the core values” of the party and the answers suggest it will remain in the wilderness for a very long time. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came out on top with 10 percent, followed by former vice president Kamala Harris at 9 percent, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at 8 percent. If these people are the best the Democrats have to offer, the Republican Party has a very bright future.

Catron is right—the Democratic Party appears to be on a path to self-destruction. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has never been more popular. Unlike the bait-and-switch of Biden’s disastrous presidency, Trump is working to deliver on the promises he made to voters on the campaign trail.

While there were many reasons President George H.W. Bush lost the 1992 election to Bill Clinton, the primary factor was the economy. As Clinton’s campaign strategist, James Carville, famously put it: “It’s the economy, stupid.”

Catron is right. The Democratic Party appears to be on a path to self-destruction. In the meantime, Trump has never been more popular. Far from the bait and switch of Biden’s disastrous presidency, Trump is trying to deliver on the very promises he made to voters on the campaign trail.

While there were a multitude of reasons why President George H.W. Bush lost the 1992 election to Bill Clinton, the primary reason was the economy. We all remember Clinton’s campaign strategist James Carville’s famous words, “It’s the economy stupid.”

The U.S. entered a deep recession in 1990. Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the Gulf War that followed disrupted the oil supply causing prices to spike. More specifically:

In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, leading to the Gulf War and a significant disruption in oil supply, causing oil prices to spike. This increase in oil prices had a ripple effect on the economy, leading to higher costs for businesses and consumers, ultimately contributing to the recession.

The late 1980s saw the collapse of numerous savings and loan institutions, which had made risky investments and loans. This crisis led to a loss of confidence in the financial system and a contraction in lending, further exacerbating the economic downturn.

The Federal Reserve, in an attempt to curb inflation, implemented a tight monetary policy, raising interest rates. This made it more expensive for businesses to borrow money, leading to decreased investment and economic activity.

It didn’t help that George H.W. Bush had campaigned on a firm promise: “Read my lips. No new taxes. And then he raised taxes.

The 1992 election was also influenced by the presence of a third-party candidate, independent businessman Ross Perot, who disrupted the traditional two-party dynamic.

Aside from breaking his 1988 pledge, however, Bush had little control over most of these events.

So, while Republicans are riding high at the moment and Democrats seem lost in a political abyss, the future remains unpredictable—history has shown that surprises are always around the corner.

Elizabeth writes commentary for The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation and a member of the Editorial Board at The Sixteenth Council, a London think tank. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.

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