--- title: "Why Americans Identify as Republicans and Democrats – and Why They Don’t" description: "Many don’t consider themselves Republicans or Democrats. Instead, they're independents or something else – though they often “lean” toward a major party." date: "2026-10-02" authors: - name: "Steven Shepard" job_title: "Associate Director, Politics" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/steven-shepard/" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/10/02/why-americans-identify-as-republicans-and-democrats-and-why-they-dont/" categories: - "Party Identification" - "Political Parties" --- # Why Americans Identify as Republicans and Democrats – and Why They Don’t A majority of Americans consider themselves either Republicans or Democrats. Most say they identify this way because they view their own party’s policies as good for the country and the other party’s policies as harmful. But many Americans *don’t* consider themselves Republicans or Democrats. Instead, these Americans identify as independents (or with some other party) and many “lean” toward one of the two major parties. For these Americans, **opposition to the other party’s policies is more of a motivating factor than support for the policies of the party they lean toward**. **About this research** This Pew Research Center analysis examines the reasons partisans – U.S. adults who identify as Republicans and Democrats – give for their party affiliation. It also looks at “leaners” – people who don’t identify with one of the two major parties but say they lean toward one of the parties – and the reasons they lean toward the party they choose, and the reasons they decline to identify with that party. #### 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 the parties for decades. Learn more about [Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/about/) and our [politics research](https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/politics-policy/). #### How did we do this? We surveyed 9,750 U.S. adults from May 26 to June 1, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel. The survey reflects the views of all U.S. adults. Here are the [questions used for this analysis](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/10/SR_26.10.02_partisanship-reasons_QQ-FOR-PRODUCTION.pdf), along with [responses](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/10/SR_26.10.02_partisanship-reasons_W194-topline-for-release.pdf) and the [survey methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/10/SR_26.10.02_partisanship-reasons_W194methods.pdf). A Pew Research Center survey of 9,750 U.S. adults, conducted from May 26 to June 1, finds: ### Why do ‘leaners’ lean toward one party? It’s often because they oppose the other party’s policies | Group | Groupx | Group | Their party’s policies are good for the country | The other party’s policies are harmful to the country | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Republican partisan | Partisan | Republican | 72 | 73 | | Republican leaner | Leaner | Lean Rep | 34 | 56 | | Democrat partisan | Partisan | Democrat | 67 | 75 | | Democrat leaner | Leaner | Lean Dem | 27 | 64 | Note: Partisans do not include those who lean to each party. Leaners are those who do not identify as Republican or Democrat (identifying as independent or with another party) and lean toward either the Republican or Democratic Party. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted May 26-June 1, 2026. - 72% of Republicans say a major reason they identify with the GOP is that its policies are good for the country. A nearly identical share (73%) say a major reason is that the Democratic Party’s policies are harmful for the country. - Two-thirds of Democrats say a major reason they identify with the Democratic Party is that its policies are good for the country. A larger share (75%) say a major reason is that the Republican Party’s policies are bad for the country. - Majorities of Republican leaners (56%) and Democratic leaners (64%) say a major reason they lean toward their preferred party is that the other party’s policies are harmful. - Relatively few Republican leaners (34%) and Democratic leaners (27%) say a major reason they lean toward their preferred party is the perceived good of its policies. **What are independent 'leaners'?** While most Americans identify with one of the two major political parties, a sizeable share say they are independent. Still, most independents lean to a party – and they tend to have more in common with those partisans than with the other side’s leaners. For more on political independents, [read our 2019 report](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/03/14/political-independents-who-they-are-what-they-think/). The survey also highlights why leaners do not affiliate with their party. Roughly four-in-ten Republican leaners, and about the same share of Democratic leaners, point to frustration with the leadership of the party they lean toward – or disagreement on some issues – as reasons for rejecting the partisan label. #### Why Republicans and Democrats identify with their party For self-identified Republicans and Democrats, the policies of both their party and the opposite party are the leading reasons for their partisan identification. Fewer cite other factors as major reasons: ### Most Republicans and Democrats say the harm of the other party’s policies, benefits of their own party’s policies are major reasons for their affiliation *% of __ who say each is a major reason for whythey identify with their party* | Reason | Republicans | Democrats | | --- | --- | --- | | The other party’s policies are bad for the country | 73 | 75 | | My party’s policies are good for the country | 72 | 67 | | I feel like my party sticks up for people like me | 53 | 56 | | I have a lot in common with my party | 48 | 46 | | Most of my friends and family are in my party | 16 | 18 | Note: Partisans do not include those who lean toward each party. No answer responses are not shown. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted May 26–June 1, 2026. - 53% of Republicans and 56% of Democrats say a major reason is that their party sticks up for people like them. - 48% of Republicans and 46% of Democrats say a major factor is that they have a lot in common with other people who identify with their party. - 16% of Republicans and 18% of Democrats say a major reason is that most of their friends and family are also party members. Most of these figures are little changed since the last time we asked these questions in 2022. But there has been an increase in the share of Democrats who cite the harm of Republicans’ policies as a major factor – from 68% in 2022 to 75% this year. #### Why independents lean to one party or the other Majorities of leaners cite the harm of the other party’s policies as a major reason for why they choose the party they lean toward. Other reasons are far less common: ### For independents who lean toward a party, the top reason is perceived harm from the other party’s policies *% of leaners who say each is a major reason for whythey lean toward each party* | Reason | Republican leaners | Democratic leaners | | --- | --- | --- | | The other party’s policies are bad for the country | 56 | 64 | | My party’s policies are good for the country | 34 | 27 | | I feel like my party sticks up for people like me | 23 | 28 | | I have a lot in common with my party | 22 | 21 | Note: Leaners are those who do not identify as Republican or Democratic (identifying as independent or with another party) and lean toward either the Republican or Democratic Party. No answer responses are not shown. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted May 26–June 1, 2026. - 34% of Republican-leaning independents and 27% of Democratic-leaning independents say a major reason is that their preferred party’s policies are good for the country. - 23% of Republican leaners and 28% of Democratic leaners say a major reason is that the party sticks up for people like them. - 22% of Republican leaners and 21% of Democratic leaners say a major factor is that they have a lot in common with people in that party. #### Why leaners don’t join a party As for reasons why leaners choose not to affiliate with a party fully, roughly four-in-ten leaners on each side of the partisan divide say a major reason is because they disagree with the party on some important issues. This share is up in both groups since 2022. ### About 40% of both Democratic and Republican leaners now say disagreement on issues is a major reason they don’t identify as partisans *% who say each of the following is a major reason why they lean toward, but not identify with, their preferred party* | Year | Statement | Lean Rep | Lean Dem | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026 | I disagree with the party on some important issues | 41 | 40 | | 2022 | I disagree with the party on some important issues | 31 | 30 | | 2018 | I disagree with the party on some important issues | 37 | 38 | | 2016 | I disagree with the party on some important issues | 40 | 33 | | | | | | | 2026 | I am frustrated with the party’s leaders | 40 | 44 | | 2022 | I am frustrated with the party’s leaders | 39 | 40 | | 2018 | I am frustrated with the party’s leaders | 44 | 38 | | 2016 | I am frustrated with the party’s leaders | 52 | 28 | | | | | | | 2026 | I don’t care enough about politics to identify with a party | 27 | 25 | | 2022 | I don’t care enough about politics to identify with a party | 21 | 19 | | 2018 | I don’t care enough about politics to identify with a party | 22 | 18 | | 2016 | I don’t care enough about politics to identify with a party | 14 | 17 | Note: Leaners are those who do not identify as Republican or Democratic (identifying as independent or with another party) and lean toward either the Republican or Democratic Party. No answer responses are not shown. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted May 26–June 1, 2026. About four-in-ten leaners in each partisan group also cite frustration with party leaders as a reason for not identifying fully with the party. **Among Democratic leaners, 44% now say frustration with leadership is a major reason why they don’t fully identify with the party**. This is compared with 40% who said this in 2022, 38% in 2018 and 28% in the spring of 2016. **That is on par with how Republican leaners feel:** 40% say their frustration with GOP leaders is a major reason they don’t consider themselves Republicans. This is little changed from 2022 and 2018, but down from 2016. *Note: Here are the [questions used for this analysis](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/10/SR_26.10.02_partisanship-reasons_QQ-FOR-PRODUCTION.pdf), along with [responses](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/10/SR_26.10.02_partisanship-reasons_W194-topline-for-release.pdf) and the [survey methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/10/SR_26.10.02_partisanship-reasons_W194methods.pdf).*