The Democratic Party’s favorability has hit a historic low, dropping to 29% according to a CNN/SSRS poll conducted March 6-9. Since January 2021, the party has lost 20% of its support, with only 63% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents approving of their own party. An NBC News poll also reported that just 27% of registered voters held a positive view of Democrats, the lowest in the poll’s history.
On MSNBC’s Morning Joe Monday, host Mika Brzezinski and former host Chris Matthews attributed the decline to “unchecked falsehoods” from President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk. Matthews claimed Americans are absorbing right-wing “lies” without fact-checking. He pointed to Trump’s recent congressional address on March 4, where Democrats held up signs reading “false” and “That’s a LIE!” in response to his remarks on Social Security and immigration.
Matthews criticized Democrats for failing to counter what he deemed misinformation. He argued that figures like Musk have spread falsehoods about illegal immigrants receiving Social Security benefits, and Democrats have been ineffective in pushing back. He cited the 1992 Bill Clinton campaign’s “war room” as an example of an effective rapid response strategy that Democrats lack today.
Brzezinski supported the need for a fact-checking “war room” to combat misinformation, sharing an anecdote about a baseball game where she overheard praise for Musk’s DOGE cuts. She warned that Republicans are controlling the narrative heading into the 2024 election cycle and called for a central Democratic figure to counteract their messaging.
The discussion underscores broader concerns within the Democratic Party about its messaging, leadership, and public perception. With President Joe Biden’s approval ratings also declining, Democratic strategists face mounting pressure to reframe their platform and address voter dissatisfaction before the upcoming elections.
