(NewsNation) — The 2024 presidential election is nearly nine months off, but most Americans remain convinced their political party is already losing on issues that matter most to them, new polling data shows.
Pew Research reports 71% of more than 5,100 Americans surveyed in January believe that their political allegiance is losing more than it is winning.
The polling indicates the majority of Americans have been experiencing a sinking feeling politically since 2016 on issues they consider important. Yet, the number of voters who believe their respective political party is coming up short has grown by 15 percentage points since early 2020.
The percentage of Americans who feel this way grew to 72% in 2022 and has remained virtually unchanged since, polling shows.
As of January, 27% of Americans consider themselves Democrats compared to 25% of Republicans, Gallup reported. An estimated 45% of Americans consider themselves as independent, a faction of voters that will likely factor into November’s general election.
Pew polling that took place in 2023 showed inflation remained the top issue of concern for Republicans and right-leaning independents. Data showed in June 77% of those voters considered inflation a “big problem” while 81 Democrats and left-leaning independents consider gun control the biggest issue.
Climate control and illegal immigration stood out as the most polarizing issues among voters, Pew research showed. Only 25% of Democrats consider illegal immigration a big problem, while only 14% of Republicans expressed serious concerns over climate control.
Although the percentage of Americans who claim more political setbacks than victories has remained consistent, more Republicans felt more positive when Donald Trump was president, Pew data shows.
Early in Trump’s final year in the White House, 69% of GOP voters indicated their side was winning, compared to just 29% that said their party was losing more than winning.
At the same time, however, 80% of Democrats felt like their party was losing on critical issues, Pew indicated.
Pew said that Democrats tend to be more optimistic than their Republican counterparts. However, about 6 in 10 Democrats (66%) still believe their party is losing more than winning. That compares to 62% of left-leaning voters who felt that was in 2022.
The polling takes place when President Joe Biden holds a historically low 39% approval rating as he prepares for a second showdown with Trump in November.