New Poll Shows Americans Fed Up With Both Parties Ahead of 2026 Midterms

A new poll suggests voters are heading into the 2026 midterm season with a frustration that extends to both of the main political parties of the United States. Americans' views of both Democrats and Republicans remain deeply negative, according to the poll.

The CNN poll conducted by Social Science Research Solutions (SSRS) shows that only 28% and 32% of Americans hold a positive view of the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively. The poll points to a growing group of voters sometimes referred to as "double haters," people who hold unfavorable views of both major parties.

The survey also found that the "double haters" still lean toward Democrats by 31 points in the upcoming midterms, and the average registered voter leans Democratic as well by 6 points, giving Democrats an opening even as their own image remains badly damaged. According to CNN, the "double haters" proved decisive in both of President Donald Trump's victories in 2016 and 2024.

The "double haters" were also asked what they disliked about both parties. Their reason for disliking Democrats was "viewing them as do-nothing," not standing up to Trump enough, being "too liberal," being "weak or spineless," and not caring about people. They also leveled the criticism of not standing up to Trump enough and not caring about people towards Republicans as well.

They also cited negative views about Trump generally and a perception of corruption within the Republican Party as other reasons.

Republicans post only a narrow edge in party favorability, and that advantage appears to come largely from stronger support inside their own coalition. Democrats, meanwhile, continue to struggle with dissatisfaction from their own side, a dynamic that has shown up in other recent polling as well.

The poll also suggested that both Trump and the Democrats have both grown less popular since the midterms during Trump's first term as president. Trump's approval rating is now 7 points lower than it was at this point during his first midterm cycle in 2018.

An AP-NORC survey published in February found that many Democrats still held downbeat views of their party even after a run of special-election wins, suggesting that anti-Republican energy has not necessarily translated into renewed confidence in Democratic leadership.

Americans have been increasingly likely to identify as independents rather than align comfortably with either party. A recent Gallup poll found that 45% of U.S. adults now identify as independents, with younger Americans especially likely to reject the party labels that once defined national politics.

The CNN/SSRS survey was conducted from March 26 to March 30, 2026, among a random national sample of 1,201 adults, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points. That means the topline mood is clear even if some subgroup findings should be treated with caution.