Cabot Phillips

So historically, there's often a sort of buyer's remorse with voters, but that has not happened this year. Trump's approval ratings have held steady around 48%. That's well above where he stood during his first term. And Democratic popularity has only plummeted since Election Day. Last week, CNN found that just 29% of Americans view the party favorably. That's a 20-point drop from 2021.

So historically, there's often a sort of buyer's remorse with voters, but that has not happened this year. Trump's approval ratings have held steady around 48%. That's well above where he stood during his first term. And Democratic popularity has only plummeted since Election Day. Last week, CNN found that just 29% of Americans view the party favorably. That's a 20-point drop from 2021.

And over the weekend, things got even worse. A new Quinnipiac poll showed that just 21% of Americans approve of Democrats' job performance in Congress. That is the lowest mark in the history of the poll. And even more concerning for the left, only 40% of Democrats approve of the job their leaders are doing in Congress.

And over the weekend, things got even worse. A new Quinnipiac poll showed that just 21% of Americans approve of Democrats' job performance in Congress. That is the lowest mark in the history of the poll. And even more concerning for the left, only 40% of Democrats approve of the job their leaders are doing in Congress.

Exactly. The best example came last week during the Democrat debate over whether to shut down the government. Rank and file members in Congress wanted to kill the Republican spending bill and, you know, stick it to Trump, forcing a shutdown. But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, arguably the most powerful Democrat in the country, opted to support the deal and keep the lights on.

Exactly. The best example came last week during the Democrat debate over whether to shut down the government. Rank and file members in Congress wanted to kill the Republican spending bill and, you know, stick it to Trump, forcing a shutdown. But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, arguably the most powerful Democrat in the country, opted to support the deal and keep the lights on.

That resulted in a wave of backlash from prominent Democrat lawmakers like AOC and Nancy Pelosi, and importantly, from voters. To give you an idea of their anger, Schumer had to cancel his upcoming book tour, quote, due to security concerns. And now that anger has been evident at town halls across the country.

That resulted in a wave of backlash from prominent Democrat lawmakers like AOC and Nancy Pelosi, and importantly, from voters. To give you an idea of their anger, Schumer had to cancel his upcoming book tour, quote, due to security concerns. And now that anger has been evident at town halls across the country.

For example, here's the message from one voter at a rowdy town hall for Arizona Democrats Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.

For example, here's the message from one voter at a rowdy town hall for Arizona Democrats Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.

Here's another raucous event for Democrat House member Sean Kasten, which had to be shut down by police after angry protesters attempted to rush the stage.

Here's another raucous event for Democrat House member Sean Kasten, which had to be shut down by police after angry protesters attempted to rush the stage.

Well, there seem to be two main strategies emerging. First, there are those who say the party needs to listen to its far left base and double down on their opposition to Trump doing just everything possible to prevent his agenda from being implemented.

Well, there seem to be two main strategies emerging. First, there are those who say the party needs to listen to its far left base and double down on their opposition to Trump doing just everything possible to prevent his agenda from being implemented.

In that camp are Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who kicked off their, quote, fighting oligarchy tour last week, hitting Tempe, Las Vegas and Denver in recent days and drawing crowds in the tens of thousands.

In that camp are Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who kicked off their, quote, fighting oligarchy tour last week, hitting Tempe, Las Vegas and Denver in recent days and drawing crowds in the tens of thousands.

But the problem for Democrats in that camp is that the far left vision for America they're describing just doesn't seem all that popular with Americans right now. Remember, polling shows that Americans are still widely supportive of Trump's policies on legal immigration, foreign policy, transgenderism and DEI. Right.

But the problem for Democrats in that camp is that the far left vision for America they're describing just doesn't seem all that popular with Americans right now. Remember, polling shows that Americans are still widely supportive of Trump's policies on legal immigration, foreign policy, transgenderism and DEI. Right.

So on the other side are Democrats who feel November's results were a clear rebuke of progressive ideologies and governance. They say the party has to shake that woke label and moderate on social issues while embracing a more old school blue dog Democrat approach. Leading the charge on that front is, ironically, California's Gavin Newsom, one of the nation's most far left governors.

So on the other side are Democrats who feel November's results were a clear rebuke of progressive ideologies and governance. They say the party has to shake that woke label and moderate on social issues while embracing a more old school blue dog Democrat approach. Leading the charge on that front is, ironically, California's Gavin Newsom, one of the nation's most far left governors.