---
title: "Americans continue to view both the Republican and Democratic parties negatively"
description: "The American public’s views of the two major political parties are more unfavorable than favorable, with a substantial share expressing negative views of both parties. While there have been relatively modest fluctuations in these overall ratings over the last several years, the share of the public holding unfavorable views of both parties is higher than […]"
date: "2026-05-01"
authors:
  - name: "Steven Shepard"
    job_title: "Associate Director, Politics"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/steven-shepard/"
  - name: "Jocelyn Kiley"
    job_title: "Director, Politics Research"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/jocelyn-kiley/"
  - name: "Andy Cerda"
    job_title: "Research Analyst"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/andy-cerda/"
  - name: "Ted Van Green"
    job_title: "Research Analyst"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/ted-van-green/"
  - name: "Shanay Gracia"
    job_title: "Research Analyst"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/shanay-gracia/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/americans-continue-to-view-both-the-republican-and-democratic-parties-negatively/"
categories:
  - "Donald Trump"
  - "Political Parties & Polarization"
  - "Politics & Policy"
---

# Americans continue to view both the Republican and Democratic parties negatively

**About this research**

This Pew Research Center analysis examines Americans’ views of Trump and the two major parties.

#### Why did we do this?

Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues, including views of the president, for decades.

Learn more about [Pew Research Center.](https://www.pewresearch.org/about/)

#### How did we do this?

We surveyed 5,103 U.S. adults from April 20 to 26, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel. The survey represents the views of the full U.S. adult population.

Here are the [survey questions](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PP_2026.5.1_Trump-approval_questionnaire.pdf) used for this analysis, the [detailed responses](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PP_2026.5.1_Trump-approval_topline.pdf) and the [survey methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/trump-approval-may-2026-methodology/).

The American public’s views of the two major political parties are more unfavorable than favorable, with a substantial share expressing negative views of *both* parties.

[![Chart shows Americans continue to rate both the Republican and Democratic parties unfavorably](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/PP_5.1.2026_Trump-approval_1-01.png?w=420)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=301230)

- 58% of U.S. adults have an unfavorable view of the Republican Party.

- A nearly identical share (59%) have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party.

- Favorable views of the Democratic Party have ticked up from a low of 36% in August 2025.

While there have been relatively modest fluctuations in these overall ratings over the last several years, the share of the public holding unfavorable views of both parties is higher than it was several years ago: It stands at 26% today, versus 21% in 2020.

Overwhelming majorities of partisans – those who identify as Republicans or Democrats – view their own party positively. About nine-in-ten Republican identifiers (89%) and 84% of Democratic identifiers hold a favorable view of their own party.

However, **leaners continue to diverge from partisans** in that they are far less likely to hold favorable views of the party they align with.

About half of Democratic-leaning independents (52%) and 54% of Republican-leaning independents have a favorable view of their own party.

[![Chart shows Ratings of the Democratic Party have improved among Democrats and Democratic leaners since August](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/04/PP_5.1.2026_Trump-approval_1-02.png?w=420)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=301231)

#### Democratic ratings of the Democratic Party have rebounded somewhat

- Today, 84% of Democratic identifiers rate their party favorably, up from 77% last August.

- 52% of Democratic leaners now view the Democratic Party favorably, up from 44% last summer.

Republican identifiers’ ratings of the GOP are relatively unchanged over the last 12 months.

#### Negative views of the opposing party remain common among both partisans and leaners

- 92% of Democrats and 89% of Democratic leaners have an unfavorable view of the GOP.

- Similarly, 93% of Republicans and 86% of Republican leaners view the Democratic Party unfavorably.

---

**Next:** [Democrats and Republicans place more importance on advancing own policies than finding common ground](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/democrats-and-republicans-place-more-importance-on-advancing-own-policies-than-finding-common-ground.md)