When it comes to politics, America is a nation of losers. At least, that's what most Americans think. A Pew Research survey finds 71% of Americans think their political side is losing more than winning on issues that are important to them. Not surprisingly, that includes 83% of Republicans, who have seen a string of losses in recent years. But the number also includes 62% of Democrats who think their side is losing, despite holding the White House and the Senate.
Jacquie Baly, political science professor at University of Houston-Downtown, believes these numbers reflect the overall pessimism in the country. "You have to look at the economy, which is not doing great, and also foreign affairs, which people are very upset about," she says. "I think this shows that regardless of whether you have a D or R by your name, these policies are not working and voters are not happy about it."
It is no surprise that Republicans feel like they are losing, because they are. "Republicans have not done well since President Trump left office," Baly tells KTRH. "You're seeing a lot of infighting in the party in our state, and you're seeing a lot of infighting going on nationally."
As for Dems' dissatisfaction, it would seem to represent their unhappiness with President Biden. And both wings of the Democrat party are equally disappointed. The survey finds only 38% of liberal Democrats think they're winning, and just 35% of moderate/conservative Democrats think they're winning. "This shows that Democrats are just as upset and disappointed with the Biden administration as Independents and Republicans," says Baly.
The bottom line: voters in neither party are happy right now, which doesn't bode well for the incumbent in an election year. "This is a Biden administration issue, especially as he's looking for reelection," says Baly. "If his own base is having issues with his policies, he's going to have a hard time winning the election."
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