According to a new poll, the majority of Democrats believe the party needs new blood, while a small minority believe it should prioritise transgender rights issues.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos survey released Thursday, 62% of self-identified Democrats believe that party leadership “should be replaced with new people.”
In contrast, only 30% of Republicans polled thought the same about their party’s leadership.
Nearly half of Democrats (49%) said they were “unsatisfied” with the party’s current leadership, while 41% were “satisfied” and 10% were “unsure.”
Democratic voters also expressed a significant disconnect between what they want the party to focus on ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and what they perceive to be leadership priorities, with some noting that the Democratic Party appears to be dragging out transgender issues.
Only 17% of Democrats believe the party should prioritise allowing transgender people to compete in women’s and girls’ sports.
However, 28% said they believe party leaders see it as a major issue.
“There are more important things to be moving the needle on,” transgender activist Benjamin Villagomez told Reuters.
“There are more pressing issues, things that actually matter to people’s livelihoods,” said the 33-year-old from Austin, Texas.
Economic disparities between rank-and-file members and party leaders were especially pronounced.
For example, while 86% of Democrats believe raising taxes on wealthy Americans and large corporations should be a priority, only 72% believe it is a top concern for party leaders.
Similarly, 73% saw reducing corporate spending in politics as a priority, but only 58% thought it was a leadership priority.
Respondents saw party leaders as less passionate than themselves when it came to promoting affordable childcare, lowering prescription drug costs, increasing access to health insurance, and supporting mass transit.
According to the poll, younger Democrats (18-39 years old) were more dissatisfied with party priorities.
The poll was conducted from June 11 to 16 and surveyed 4,258 people nationwide, including 1,293 Democrats. It had a margin of error of approximately three percentage points.
