Trumpism vs. Wokeness: Losing Party Could Control Next Era of American Politics

It’s not a groundbreaking observation to note that many Americans are unsatisfied with the governing visions offered by our two major political parties and the candidates they have chosen as their leaders. As much as we should resist the allure of nostalgia-tinted visions of the “good old days” of national unity and contentment, it would be a simple untruth to claim that the public frustration with the options presented to us by our parties is without alternative. Gallup polling indicates long stretches of the 1990s and 2000s when both the Democratic and Republican Parties commanded approval ratings above 50 percent.

According to Gallup, the last time the Democrats had a majority-favorable image was over a decade ago, in early November 2012. The GOP very briefly reached 51 percent favorability in January 2020, but has not come close to reaching that number since. Before 2020, you’d have to look back to February 2005 to find the Republican Party enjoying the approval of a majority of Americans.

About the Author

Natan Ehrenreich

Natan Ehrenreich, a recent graduate of Yeshiva University, is a writing fellow at National Review.

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It’s not a groundbreaking observation to note that many Americans are unsatisfied with the governing visions offered by our two major political parties and the candidates they have chosen as their leaders. As much as we should resist the allure of nostalgia-tinted visions of the “good old days” of national unity and contentment, it would be a simple untruth to claim that the public frustration with the options presented to us by our parties is without alternative. Gallup polling indicates long stretches of the 1990s and 2000s when both the Democratic and Republican Parties commanded approval ratings above 50 percent.

According to Gallup, the last time the Democrats had a majority-favorable image was over a decade ago, in early November 2012. The GOP very briefly reached 51 percent favorability in January 2020, but has not come close to reaching that number since. Before 2020, you’d have to look back to February 2005 to find the Republican Party enjoying the approval of a majority of Americans.