Only 36 percent of Americans approve of the Democratic Party — the lowest number on record

1. The Democratic Party hasn't been this unpopular since Gallup began polling party approval in 1992.
2. A big reason for the Democratic Party's polling collapse is Democrats turning on their own party.
3. The Republican Party fell to its own record-low in popularity during the 2013 government shutdown — but rebounded fast enough to win the 2014 election.

Gallup

The Democratic Party's approval rating has fallen to 36 percent — the lowest reading for the party since Gallup began polling party approval in 1992.

"After the 2012 election, many political analysts focused on the GOP's 'image problem,'" writes Gallup. "Now, it is the Democrats who appear to have the more battered image. Their favorability rating has never been lower, and they are reeling from defeats that cost them control of the U.S. Senate and strengthened the Republican House majority to levels likely not seen in 90 years."

The sharp drop in in the party's approval rating comes from two main sources: independents, who are 10 points less favorable toward the Democratic Party than they were in September, and Democrats, who are eight points less favorable toward their own party than they were in September.

The trend is even starker if you rewind to the 2012 election. Since then, the Democratic Party's favorability rating has dropped 17 points among independents and 14 points among Democrats.

If there's a silver lining for Democrats here, it's that these post-election slumps can turn around fast. The Republican Party set a record for unpopularity in the fall of 2013, when it shut down the federal government and saw its approval rating collapse to 28 percent — eight points lower than where the Democratic Party is now. Less than two years later, however, Republicans swept the midterm election.

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