CHRIS CRUCIAL: Democrats Have a Brand Problem—This Chart Explains Why 📊

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1. “R” > “D”

(A sad donkey. Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

“Democrat” is a dirty word in a lot of places in the country. Which is a) a new trend and b) a very bad thing for the party now out of power in the White House, Senate and House.

Consider this 2024 data on party identification from Gallup:

At first glance, it might not seem like much. Yes, 46% of people said they are either Republicans or lean that way. But 45% say they are Democrats or lean that way! So, basically equal!

Which, yes. But look left on that chart — at the historical trend. With very few exceptions, more people have identified as Democrats than Republicans over the last three decades.

To that end this sentence from Gallup should make Democrats very, very nervous: “Prior to 2022, Republicans only had a slight edge once before, in 1991.”

What that tells me is that the Democratic brand has a problem. People are un-identifying with it. And signing on with Republicans.

It’s not just in the polling data either. Consider Missouri in the 2024 election.