Democrats are heading into the midterm cycle with some of the weakest public approval ratings ever recorded for the party, according to new analysis from CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten.

The assessment marks one of the most significant warning signs yet for a party already grappling with mounting political and legal crises among its leadership.

Enten reported that the Democratic Party’s standing with voters has deteriorated sharply, describing its position as “lower than the Dead Sea.”

His remarks reference new Quinnipiac University polling that shows congressional Democrats at their worst approval levels in the survey’s history.

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The numbers reflect a steep slide from earlier in the fall.

“In October, the Democrats were at plus 22, but now they are at minus 6,” Enten said, citing a 28-point drop.

He noted that the shift was driven not only by independents but also by discontent inside the Democratic Party itself.

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A Newsweek analysis of the data underscored the stakes:

“Maintaining a strong approval rating will be of utmost importance to the party as it heads toward the midterm elections.

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“The GOP has a slim majority of 219 to 214 in the House of Representatives and holds a 53-47 majority in the Senate, so Democrats are looking to pick up key seats and gain control of Congress.”

The Quinnipiac poll, conducted Dec. 11–15 among 1,035 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points, found that only 18 percent approved of how Democrats in Congress are performing their jobs.

Seventy-three percent disapproved, marking what the pollster called a “record low job approval rating for them.”

Despite the broad decline, Democrats have seen isolated electoral successes in off-year races, including the New York City mayor’s race.

Analysts note, however, that localized victories have done little to reverse national sentiment.

Political commentators reacted quickly to Enten’s findings.

Benny Johnson wrote: “Holy smokes, it’s so over.

“CNN just dropped devastating news for Democrats.”

Republican critics echoed the sentiment, with some noting:

“Polling shows even Democrats hate Democrats!”

The precipitous drop comes despite Democrats’ efforts to regroup after losing the 2024 presidential election to President Donald Trump and amid growing scrutiny of prominent Democratic leaders, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Walz faces fallout from what federal investigators describe as a billion-dollar fraud scheme inside his state’s social-services programs.

While those issues were not referenced in the polling, strategists acknowledge they have contributed to an increasingly difficult political environment for the party.

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