With screams echoing off of the Capitol walls, an enraged mob carried out Donald Trump’s greatest, most vicious reality show. He watched enthusiastically as the battle went on, confused as to why others around him were not as excited on January 6. With the inciter-in-chief sucking all of the energy out of Americans, no wonder the Republicans’ party is doing so poorly.
This Gallup Poll was conducted between January 21 and February 2, 2021, shortly after the January 6 insurrection, which occurred during the 2020 presidential election electoral vote counting.
Down from 43 percent in November, only 37 percent of Americans had a favorable view of the Republican Party. At the same time, the Democratic Party increased three points from 45 percent to 48 percent giving it a “rare double-digit advantage:”
‘The Democratic Party’s positive ratings [increased] to 48%, gives the Democrats a rare double-digit advantage in favorability.’
Over 140,000 Republicans have left their party since the 2020 election and especially after the January 6 insurrection, The New York Times reported.
In spite of the attempted coup and very real threats to their lives, “most Republicans in the House voted against impeaching Trump:”
‘[They even questioned] the constitutionality, and most Republican senators objected to the trial proceeding in a Jan. 26 vote on the constitutionality of convicting a former president of impeachment charges.’
The worst of the decline was among Americans who identified as Republicans, from 90 percent favorable to 78 favorable. Conversely, Democratic favorability increased seven percent from November’s 41 percent to 48 percent.
In January 2019 during the federal government shutdown, the Republican Party favorability was 38 percent. It was not unusual for Republicans’ favorable ratings to be so low. This shutdown was related to Trump’s border wall:
‘From 2013 through 2018, the average favorable rating for the GOP was 39%.’
‘In January 2020, a slim majority of Americans viewed the Republican Party favorably while Trump was in the process of being acquitted in his first impeachment trial, and the U.S. economy was strong.’
The Republican Party’s rating in 1992 was 53 percent. By December 1998, it plummeted to 31 percent. In early 2002 after the 911 attacks, favorability rose to 61 percent, but it has never risen above 40 percent since 2006. In October 2013 it dropped to 28 percent.
The Trump presidency has harmed the Republican Party image:
‘The tumultuous end to the Trump presidency appears to have harmed the image of the Republican Party. The GOP now faces a double-digit deficit in favorable ratings compared with the Democratic Party.’
One problem is that the Republican Party cannot decide whether it is the Trump Party:
‘With much of the decline in Republican Party favorability coming from Republicans themselves, the GOP faces a crossroads, as it decides whether to continue to be loyal to Trump, his political style and his favored policy positions or break with him. Currently, 60% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say they want Trump to continue to lead the party, while 38% would prefer a new leader.’
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
