A recent poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos revealed a growing sentiment among Democrats in the United States for a shift in policy direction within the party leadership. Many feel that the current focus on issues such as transgender rights and electric vehicles is overshadowing the lack of attention given to economic concerns.
Numerous Democrats believe that there is a significant disconnect between the priorities they care about and those being emphasized by the party leadership. Following their defeat in the November elections last year, the Democratic Party has yet to establish a clear leadership core or outline a path for future development. The survey found that Democrats want the party to address their day-to-day needs and are in favor of wealthier Americans paying more taxes.
According to the poll, the party needs to work on two fronts: breaking Republican control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections and introducing a new presidential candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
Approximately 62% of self-identified Democrats surveyed agreed that “the Democratic Party leadership should bring in fresh faces,” while only 24% disagreed, with the rest being uncertain or not responding.
In contrast, only 30% of Republican respondents believe that their party’s leadership should be changed.
Currently, there are shifts happening within the Democratic Party leadership. This week, influential American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten resigned from the Democratic National Committee. Prior to this, progressive activist David Hogg was also ousted from the committee.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from June 11th to 16th surveyed 4258 people nationwide, including 1293 Democrats, with a margin of error of about 3 percentage points for Democrats.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, seen as a potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2028, expressed agreement with the poll results. He stated in a podcast in April, “People don’t trust us, they believe that we haven’t supported them in addressing issues that are core to them, such as their kitchen table issues.”
Mark Riddle, head of the Democratic research firm “Future Majority,” commented after reviewing the poll results that they conveyed a clear message: “Voters are extremely impatient now, they want elected officials at all levels to address the cost of living, job security, and affordability issues.”
The poll found a significant gap between Democratic voters and the leadership regarding the issue of reducing corporate spending in political campaigns, with 73% of Democrats viewing limitations on donations to Super PACs as a priority, while only 58% believe the party leadership would prioritize this.
For example, 29-year-old Democratic voter Sam Boland from Minneapolis likened the actions of Super PACs to “legalized bribery” of candidates.
Additionally, the poll indicated that 86% of Democrats believe that amending federal tax laws to have wealthy Americans and large corporations pay more taxes should be a priority, with 72% of Democrats feeling that the party leadership has already listed this as a concern.
Regarding support for abortion rights, 77% of Democrats prioritize abortion rights, showing a closer alignment with the party leadership’s stance on this issue.
The poll also revealed that young Democrats are more dissatisfied with the party’s priorities on various economic policies.
For example, only 55% of Democrats aged 18 to 39 believe that the party prioritizes paid family leave (allowing employees to care for sick family members and newborns), while 73% view it as a priority. In comparison, among older Democrats, the same proportion (68%) consider this issue a priority and also believe that it is a priority for the party leadership.
Additionally, Democratic respondents suggested that the party should do more to promote affordable childcare, lower prescription drug prices, make health insurance more affordable, and support public transportation. However, the poll results indicated their perception of the party leadership’s lack of enthusiasm for these issues.
Some Democrats expressed concerns that the party sometimes places too much emphasis on less critical issues, like transgender rights. Only 17% of Democrats believe that allowing transgender women (assigned male at birth) to participate in women’s sports should be a priority.
(Reference to Reuters reporting)