History in HD / Unsplash
CV NEWS FEED // A new Gallup poll shows a sharp increase in Republican satisfaction with the state of the nation, marking the largest recorded shift for any political party in the poll’s history.
The survey, conducted from Feb. 3-16, found that 34% of Americans are satisfied with how things are going in the country, up from 20% in January. The increase is largely driven by Republicans, whose satisfaction surged from 10% to 68% following President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
In contrast, Democratic satisfaction plummeted from 32% to just 5%. Independents showed an increase, however, rising from 18% to 30%.
Gallup noted that shifts in satisfaction levels are common after a change in presidential administration. However, the 58-point jump among Republicans is the largest ever recorded in successive polls dating back to 1991.
The previous record was a 40-point increase in Democratic satisfaction after President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.
Meanwhile, Democratic dissatisfaction has also reached historic levels. The party’s 27-point drop in satisfaction ranks among the largest declines in Gallup’s polling history, similar to the 28-point drop after Trump’s 2016 victory and the 25-point decline among Republicans following Biden’s 2020 win.
The poll also asked Americans to name the most important problem facing the country. For the fourth consecutive month, the government ranked as the top issue, cited by 27% of respondents. Immigration (18%) and the economy (16%) followed closely behind.
Gallup found that Democratic concern about the government has more than doubled since October, from 22% to 45%. Independents also became more concerned about government issues, with mentions rising from 17% to 26%. However, only 12% of Republicans cited the government as the top concern.
Gallup noted that presidential inaugurations have become major turning points in how partisans evaluate the state of the nation, with shifts in satisfaction becoming more extreme in recent years. Previous surges in national satisfaction have typically been linked to major international events, such as the Gulf War in 1991, the Iraq War in 2003, and the aftermath of 9/11.
