Democratic voters are signaling a clear desire for moderation following a decisive electoral shift that saw Republicans take control of Washington. According to a Gallup poll released Thursday, 45% of Democrats and left-leaning independents want the party to move toward the center. This marks an 11-point increase since President Joe Biden took office, reflecting a growing dissatisfaction with the party’s left-wing policy agenda.
Despite this shift, Democratic lawmakers remain committed to progressive policies, rejecting bipartisan efforts on immigration enforcement, crime, and government efficiency.
Polling data shows that Democrats are increasingly out of step with both mainstream American opinion and their own voter base. While the New York Times-Ipsos poll found that 90% of Americans support deporting criminal illegal migrants, most House and Senate Democrats voted against legislation requiring the removal of illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes.
- Only 12 Democratic senators and 46 House Democrats supported the Laken Riley Act, which Trump signed into law on January 29. The law mandates detention for illegal migrants convicted of theft-related offenses and violent crimes against law enforcement.
- More than two-thirds of House Democrats opposed a bill requiring deportation of illegal migrants convicted of sexual offenses or domestic violence.
- Only two Democrats voted to ban biological males from competing in women’s sports, despite 79% of Americans opposing transgender participation in female athletics.
While President Donald Trump and DOGE Chairman Elon Musk continue to expose wasteful government spending, Democratic lawmakers have responded with inflammatory rhetoric.
Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA) went as far as to suggest political violence, stating:
“What I think is really important and what the American public want is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight.”
At a February 4 protest outside the Treasury Department, Representative LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) declared:
“We are at war! Anytime a person can pay $250 million into a campaign and be given access, full access to the Department of Treasury of the United States of America, we are at war!”
Despite these attacks, Musk maintains a 5% net favorability rating in a Trafalgar Group and Insider Advantage poll—a significant figure for a government official.
While Democratic leadership struggles to adapt, Republicans remain largely unified. The Gallup poll found that nearly half of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents believe the party should maintain its current ideological stance, while just 28% favor a shift toward more conservative policies.
🚨.@RepBynum says with a straight face that a bill protecting Border Patrol agents and law enforcement in vehicle chases is just like the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Can’t make this stuff up. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/tDCaEAHUnT
— Nicole Silverio (@NicoleMSilverio) February 13, 2025
Strategists within the Republican Congressional Leadership Fund see Democratic resistance to Trump’s agenda as politically advantageous.
“Until Democrats come to terms with the fact that President Trump and Republicans are doing exactly what the American people elected them to do, their inflammatory rhetoric and staunch opposition to Donald Trump will only push voters further toward the Republican Party,” said Press Secretary Maureen O’Toole.
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) escalated Democratic attacks, labeling Musk and the Trump administration as the ‘corruption party’.
“This administration stands for corruption. And what Elon Musk is doing in Washington is all about expanding corruption. He’s not the enemy of corruption. He’s the agent of corruption.”
Raskin also accused Trump of dismantling oversight agencies, despite Musk’s ongoing audits uncovering massive financial mismanagement within federal programs.
