New Poll Shows Big Problems for Democrats

According to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, Republicans are comfortably ahead of Democrats when it comes to their handling of the most important issues facing the American people – and are even leading on some issues that have historically favored liberals. The results are yet more bad news for a historically unpopular Democrat Party that has struggled to gain its footing following a GOP sweep last November.

The survey of 1,019 U.S. adults taken from September 19-21 specifically asked respondents to name which party they believe “has a better plan” to address certain issues. On Crime, Republicans held a 40 percent to 20 percent lead. On Immigration, it was 40-22. On foreign conflicts, it was 35-23. On the economy, it was 34-24.

Republicans’ edge on the economy is particularly important, as economic concerns are almost always the predominant issue in national elections. According to Gallup, 52 percent of voters said the economy was “extremely important” in deciding their presidential vote last year – the highest percentage since 2008.

The issue of immigration also remains important – so much so that even left-leaning Reuters had to acknowledge it helped Trump’s approval rating, saying it was “buoyed by the relative popularity of his immigration policies, which include mass arrests of people suspected of not being in the country legally.”

Americans also trust Trump on immigration far more than his predecessor. “In December 2024, just 26 percent of Americans said they approved of [Biden’s] open borders policies, which oversaw the arrival of more than 8 million illegal aliens to the United States,” John Binder wrote in an analysis of the poll for Breitbart.

“The poll reveals a deep distrust among Americans for Democrats’ mass migration agenda, where amnesty for illegal aliens, catch and release at the southern border, and rapid naturalizations are at the forefront, while interior immigration enforcement is gutted,” Binder argued.

Just as important as Republicans’ lead on top issues for voters, the poll also found that the GOP has an edge on “gun control” and “political extremism” – two areas where liberals have spent endless funds and energy trying to win the hearts and minds of the public.

Overall, 32 percent of Americans said Republicans have a better plan for gun control, compared to 28 percent who favored Democrats’ plan. The Republican advantage on political extremism was 30 percent to 26 percent. (The only issues where Democrats held an edge were healthcare at 34 percent to 25 percent, women’s rights at 38 percent to 25 percent, and the environment at 37 percent to 23 percent.)

Gun control and political extremism almost never top the list of most important issues in any given election. But after years in which Democrats and their corporate media allies have incessantly blamed gun violence on the Second Amendment and castigated conservatives as “extremists” and a “threat to democracy,” those results represent a stunning rebuke and failure of the liberal messaging machine.

Veteran pollster Frank Luntz said the positive results are even more surprising given that the majority party usually loses favorability in the first year. “Americans have lost faith in the Democratic Party – even on the Democrats’ historically more advantageous issues like gun control,” he told Fox News. “That’s the opposite of what usually happens to the opposition party during a president’s first year in office.”

Fox News also reported that this poll tracks with their own results from July, which found “voters are more likely to think the GOP has a clear plan for dealing with the country’s problems.”

Democrats who are surprised about these results need only look at the disastrous policies of the Biden years and their reaction to a recent wave of left-wing political violence to understand why they are so underwater.

Following the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, many liberals celebrated the cold-blooded killing while denigrating Kirk’s memory. Just this week, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) stated that Kirk has “no legacy to honor.” Leftists have also continued their violent attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities and officers, with a muted response from elected Democrats.

High-profile cases like an illegal alien semi-truck operator whose reckless driving killed three people in Florida have further highlighted the dangers of Democrat immigration policies.

Meanwhile, voters are seeing the success of Donald Trump’s policies on immigration and crime. Washington, D.C., has seen a massive drop in crime following President Trump’s directive for the federal government to assist with policing in the nation’s capital. Likewise, Americans are seeing ICE agents deporting violent illegal aliens, making communities safer.

What Republicans should take away from this poll is that when the debate is about issues, they win. Democrats and the corporate media are doing everything they can to make the conversation about anything else. The GOP’s best strategy is simply to stay the course on its popular policies and let the results speak for themselves.

Matt Lamb is a contributor for AMAC Newsline and an associate editor for The College Fix. He previously worked for Students for Life of America, Students for Life Action, and Turning Point USA. He previously interned for Open the Books. His writing has also appeared in the Washington Examiner, The Federalist, LifeSiteNews, Human Life Review, Headline USA, and other outlets. The opinions expressed are his own. Follow him @mattlamb22 on X.