When was the last time a party’s rank-and-file seemed to dislike its own stewards? Democrat approval surfaced as a stark problem this week after analyst Harry Enten aired blunt findings during a network interview.

A new poll found that President Donald Trump’s approval stands at 35%. John Berman remarked, “bad news for Republicans hasn’t really been good news for Democrats.” “They don’t like their own party.” “No, no, not at all,” said Enten. “These numbers are just atrociously awful. A double A for the Democrats here.” US News Hub Misryoum noted the polling data and the on-air exchange.

Democrat approval now demands a strategic reset for party leaders and candidates. Voters’ dissatisfaction cannot be waved away, and messaging choices in the coming months will matter enormously.

The polling showed 74% of respondents believe congressional Democrats do not have the right priorities. Among Democrats themselves, 55% said the same about their congressional representatives. The poll also reported that 32% of Americans hold a favorable view of the GOP while only 28% view the Democratic Party favorably. “This, to me, just jumps out of the screen because it screams ‘primary challenges’ all over the map, and it says that even if Democrats don’t like Donald Trump, they don’t like their own party either when it comes to Congress,” said Enten. These figures suggest trouble not just for policy debates but for internal unity and candidate recruitment.

Enten added that the fallout could reach party leadership. “The bottom has fallen out,” he said. “Even Democrats don’t like their own leaders when it comes to Congress. And overall, of course, the numbers are just absolutely awful.” He further called it a “coin toss when it comes to Schumer actually winning the next Dem Senate leader selection.” A poll published this week and cited by US News Hub Misryoum found 41% of Democratic voters disapprove of the job Sen. Chuck Schumer is doing as minority leader, while 37% approve. Schumer’s overall approval rating in that survey was 20%.

David Axelrod, who served as a political strategist for former President Barack Obama, recently told US News Hub Misryoum that Schumer “has been under fire for some time, particularly from progressives in the party,” and suggested the leader’s fate may hinge on the midterms. “There’s questions as to whether he’ll run in 2028. There’s even questions as to whether he might be challenged as leader,” said Axelrod. “I think the results of this election may impact that.” These comments tie leadership stability directly to electoral outcomes and hint at how short-term results could reshape long-term ambitions.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries carried an overall approval rating of 24%, and among Democrats he fared better than Schumer with 43% approving and 32% disapproving of his job performance. As Democrats weigh messaging and candidate strategy, the issue of Democrat approval — and broader party approval — will be central to planning for 2024 and beyond.