Growing Number Of Dems Want Party to Move to Center

After being trounced by Donald Trump – a growing number of Democrats say their party must become more moderate. With Donald Trump’s “War on Woke” resonating with most Americans in the first weeks of his presidency, a recent Gallup poll found that 45% of Democrats now favor a moderate shift, up from 34% in 2021. Meanwhile, 29% of Democrats still want their party to move in a more liberal direction, a five-point drop from 2021.

At the same time, Republicans are largely satisfied with their party’s ideology under Trump, with 43% of GOP voters saying the party should stay the same. Only 28% want the party to become more conservative, a significant drop from 40% in 2021.

“At the same time, Democrats’ and leaners’ desire for a more liberal party has declined five points, to 29%, and preferences for no change in party ideology have fallen nine points, to 22%,” the release from Gallup noted.

The poll was conducted Jan. 21-27 in the immediate aftermath of President Donald Trump’s inauguration and at the start of his second tour of duty in the White House.

Trump recaptured the presidency in November, and Republicans won back the Senate majority while the Democrats failed to win back control of the House of Representatives from the GOP. Republicans made significant gains among Black and Hispanic voters, as well as younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base.

Gallup notes that the Democrats’ “current sentiment may very well be a reaction to their losses in 2024, as they look ahead to 2026.”

On the other hand, Republicans are very happy with where their party is now.

The Gallup poll indicates that support among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents for the party to stay ideologically the same jumped nine points, from 34% in 2021 to 43% now. Only 28% want the party to become more conservative, a significant drop from 40% in 2021.

Since his first election to the presidency in 2016, Trump has held immense sway over Republicans and has transformed the GOP from a conservative-dominated party to a more populist party of loyalists who strongly support Trump’s “America First” agenda.

The Democratic Party’s shift toward moderation could influence its strategy heading into the 2026 midterms. The party may seek to regain voter support by focusing on more centrist policies and appealing to swing voters.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party appears to be more united in its current direction, with Trump maintaining strong support among GOP voters.