Congressional Confidence Craters for Democrats
Republicans in Congress continue to lead their Democratic rivals in approval ratings
New polling from Marist backs up similar findings from other pollsters - the Democratic Party is struggling among voters, while Republicans are picking up support across the nation.
Among registered voters, just 27% say they approve of the performance of Democrats in Congress, down sharply from 39% in February 2024. Over the same period, disapproval has risen more modestly, from 53% to 58%. While not as dramatic a jump, the increase in disapproval compounds the sharp decline in approval.
We’ll tap into some of the subsample data later in the article for both parties, but for now, let’s take a look at where Republicans stand.
While Democrats in Congress saw their approval ratings slip, Republicans experienced an uptick in this year’s Marist survey. Their approval rose from 26% to 36% between 2024 and 2025, while their disapproval dropped significantly, from 66% to 52%.
Both parties remain underwater in terms of net approval, which is hardly a ringing endorsement from the American public. But in a world of relative comparisons, it’s a race to see who’s viewed as less of a mess.
Let’s take a brief look at how these numbers break down!
