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2h ago

Independent Identification Hits Record 45% in U.S., Leaners Now Favor Democrats

Gallup ties the shift to independents’ souring on President Trump, a volatile pattern that may not translate into durable party loyalty.

FILE - A man wears an "I voted" sticker on his shirt, printed with the American flag and the U.S. constitution, after voting at Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreation Center in Fort Myers, Fla, on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
Cameron County Department of Elections early voting clerk Rebecca Salazar adds the second of two locks to the ballot box Friday, October 28, 2022, before the day's opening of the early voting polling location for the Texas midterm elections in Harlingen, Texas.
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FILE - A polling place during primary voting, May 21, 2024, in Kennesaw, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

Overview

  • Gallup’s 2025 data show 45% of U.S. adults identify as independents, with Democrats and Republicans each at 27%.
  • Among independents, 20% lean Democratic, 15% lean Republican, and 10% do not lean, yielding a 47% Democratic to 42% Republican split overall.
  • The results end a three-year Republican edge in party affiliation and resemble the alignment seen during Trump’s first term.
  • Younger voters drive the trend, with 56% of Gen Z and a majority of millennials identifying as independents, compared with lower rates in older cohorts.
  • Independents skew moderate at 47% while Democrats and Republicans are more polarized, and the findings are based on 13,454 interviews with a ±1 percentage-point margin of error.