News Analysis: 'The party is in shambles.' But some Democrats see reasons for optimism

Los Angeles Times ^ | Sun, August 31, 2025 at 5:00 AM CDT | Doyle McManus

[E. Pluribus Unum]

• Most Democrats agree that they need to fight Trump more vigorously, while also focusing on economic issues.

• A sharper debate has opened over social and cultural issues: Should Democrats break with identity politics?

WASHINGTON — The Democratic Party’s standing in public opinion polls has sunk to its lowest point in more than 30 years. Many of the party’s own voters think their leaders aren’t fighting hard enough against President Trump. In one survey, the words they used most often were “weak” and “tepid.”

“The party is in shambles,” said James Carville, the political strategist who helped Bill Clinton win the White House after a similar bout of disarray a generation ago.

And yet, in recent weeks, the beleaguered party has begun to exhibit signs of life.

Its brand is still unpopular, but its chances of winning next year’s congressional elections appear to be growing; in recent polls, the share of voters saying they plan to vote Democratic has reached a roughly 5% lead over the GOP. Potential presidential candidates, led by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, are competing noisily for the title of fiercest Trump-fighter. And they have an ace in the hole: As unloved as the Democratic Party is, Trump is increasingly unpopular, too, with an approval rating sagging to 40% or below in some polls.

“There’s no requirement that people love the Democratic Party in order to vote for it,” Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini said last week. “In an era of negative partisanship, people are motivated to vote more by dislike of the other party than by love for their own.”

So Carville, despite his diagnosis of “shambles,” thinks things are looking up in the long run.

“The Democratic Party’s present looks pretty bad, but I think its future looks pretty...”

[E. Pluribus Unum]

“There’s no requirement that people love the Democratic Party in order to vote for it,” Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini said last week.

Uh huh.

[epluribus_2]

Delusion Strong with this Party.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Talk up Jasmine Crocket like Trump does.

[central_va]

Malarkey bump

[epluribus_2]

“And they have an ace in the hole...”
actually they are loaded with Ace Holes,

(using alternative spelling”)

[central_va]

Ice holes

[dfwgator]

Fargin bastiges!

[Jim Noble]

I think the main reason for Democrats to be optimistic is that they get to run against Republicans.

People here are wrong to over-identify Trumpism with the Republican Party. Trump is very far from being a traditional Republican, and most elected Republican officials and party hangers-on hate him with the heat of ten thousand suns.

On financialization of the economy and vertical integration of medical service businesses, the GOP is the enemy of the nation.

Don’t imagine that Newsom is going to run on mutilating children and liberating rapists.

[SaveFerris]

[News Analysis: 'The DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS IN SHAMBLES.']

In America, the Homosexual Agenda is a HUGE PRIORITY for the Godless Reprobate Democrats - they're all trying to follow Son of Satan Barack Hussein Obama into the Eternal Lake of Fire 🔥🔥🔥

(for the thread 🧵🧵🧵)

It's mind boggling...

Democrats are at
War with Reality,
Biology and
Almighty God

Here's what DEMOCRATS do to innocent children - (center picture)



I Demand Democrats STOP
🛑🛑🛑 Perverting Children

WHY do DEMOCRATS INSIST on having
cross-dressing MEN around CHILDREN??





I have come not to praise the
Democratic Party; but to bury it.

TOO MUCH weird stuff - especially since 2008

[farmguy]

“But some Democrats see reasons for optimism”

Those would be the ones that have already got a large portion of the take from all the fraud.

[Tom Tetroxide]

The Dems should just keep doing what they have been doing for the past 60 years so that they’ll collapse into nothing.

[Da Coyote]

There is reason for optimism for the RAT party - they have so very many dishonest, creepy, inept, lying excuses for human beings to choose from. Hell, they can just look to the media for thousands and thousands of new sleazebags to replace the old sleazebags.

[gibsonguy]

We cannot delude ourselves. The rats could not be more motivated. We should not have lost that special election on Iowa. The super majority was on the line. The Dems have not moderated at all. This implies they are think they will get back in power. Bottom line is every contest must be fought like a 50-50 race and assume nothing.

[SpaceBar]

Kick em while they’re down.

“D” is a crime syndicate disguised as a political party.

[joshua c]

yes

just improve the messaging

keep all the 20/80 issues

they will be fine

they should start ordering the victory balloons

[MinorityRepublican]

The rats could not be more motivated. We should not have lost that special election on Iowa. The super majority was on the line. The Dems have not moderated at all. This implies they are think they will get back in power.

They're more likely to nominate someone like AOC or Gavin Newsom in 2028. Then they'll lose to Vance/Rubio.

They will do relatively well in 2026 so they will see no reason to pivot to the center in time for 2028.

[SaxxonWoods]

Nowhere to go but up?

They still haven’t learned a thing. Still dictating to Americans rather than serving them.

[silverleaf]

Bad news first “The party approval ratings are in the basement”
Good news: “ No where to go but up”

[cowboyusa]

Count the lies.

[StAnDeliver]

The brand is dead.

"A sharper debate has opened over social and cultural issues: Should Democrats break with identity politics?"

They are hoping that SCOTUS and TrumpII end trannies for them. Until the donkey cart throws the mules-in-makeup off the hind end of the cart, they will be cutting Electoral College elections too close for comfort.

This is a fine line for the GOP, with tranny cells literally activated for guerilla warfare -- and that's what it is -- versus TrumpII could bring this entire shitshow to a complete close with my recommendation of going the Big Tobacco route and forcing the 'gender care' amputation industry to sign The Gender Care Master Settlement Agreement.

"Polls show the transgender ideology is deeply unpopular, especially among women and parents. In 2017, former President Barack Obama told NPR that his promotion of transgender ideology made it easier for Trump to win the presidency."