New High of 45% in U.S. Identify as Political Independents

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

More independents lean Democratic than Republican, giving Democrats edge in party affiliation for first time since 2021.

Posted by censored at 06:31 PM | 32 COMMENTS | permalink

New poll shows a record high 45% of U.S. adults now identify as political independents.

[image or embed]
-- Matthew Facciani (@matthewfacciani.bsky.social) Jan 12, 2026 at 4:06 PM

Comments

... New High of 45% in U.S. Identify as Political Independents ...

I was a registered Republican until the early 2000's when the misogyny of the Republican-affiliated Tea Party came to the fore.

At that point, I left the GOP, and became unaffiliated.

Here in CT there is an Independent Party that just seems to be Republicans who do not want to be called Republicans. If you are not registered as a member of a party, you are unaffiliated.

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-12 07:50 PM

I assume it's whoever Republicants with an IQ north of room temperature that have fled the party of pedophiles, traitors, and thieves.

#2 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-01-12 07:53 PM

That's the ticket. Take a poll that enables you to delude yourself you have support you don't have.

This is neither a valid measurement of anything substantial nor a successful attempt to drive support somewhere

Just desperation

#3 | Posted by eberly at 2026-01-12 08:21 PM

That's the ticket. Take a poll that enables you to delude yourself you have support you don't have. This is neither a valid measurement of anything substantial nor a successful attempt to drive support somewhere Just desperation
#3 | Posted by eberly

What are you getting your panties in a bunch over?

It's a poll indicating that a couple percent more people identify as independents than the year before, with Dems getting three percent more leaners while Repubs lost three.

The American people are by and large just as stupid as we have been for the last 40 years. And, even if we were able to unite all the rational non-MAGAts, it will take more than a generation to undo the damage the GOP has inflicted on our nation in the last year.

Jill Stein 2028!

#4 | Posted by censored at 2026-01-12 08:56 PM

Beverly's been hitting the Jim Beam again. Hard.

#5 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-01-12 09:03 PM

Jill Stein 2028!

#4 | Posted by censored

She won't ever win. Only act as a spoiler. Just what Putin wants!

Every vote for Stein is a vote for Trump/MAGA

#6 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-01-12 09:32 PM

Every vote for Trump MAGA is a Vote for Trump MAGA.

Nobody OWES anyone their Vote.

The Entitlement is Rich.

Earn their votes. By Being Actual Democrats.

Not Republican Lite.

The Rush to the Center is the problem.

Bernie would have Stomped Trump in 2016.

But it was Hillary's "Turn".

There were no Primaries for Kamala.

It was her "Turn" Too.

The DNC never learns.

#7 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2026-01-12 11:03 PM

-What are you getting your panties in a bunch over?

Only that it's 100% not true. This country isn't generating more independents.

the forces against it are massively too powerful.

The entire media and both parties to start.........100% against the notion of independents.

I've love it but don't fool yourself.

no chance

#8 | Posted by eberly at 2026-01-12 11:07 PM

Chance.

Who made you God?

#9 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2026-01-12 11:18 PM

jill Stein having a blast with Putin

#10 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-01-13 09:53 AM

Democratic-Leaning Independents Give Democrats Edge

Smells like desperation when the overwhelming conclusion is that the majority of US voters are done with both parties.

Sorry to say it, but this should shake progressives a bit. The time to push your self-righteousness is NOT now. We need to survive as a nation before we go back to trying to fix societal issues.

So yes, you're going to have to stomach centrist policies and politicians if that is going to be successful.

#11 | Posted by jpw at 2026-01-13 11:28 AM

The American people are by and large just as stupid as we have been for the last 40 years.

Actually, I feel like unaffiliated/independent declaration growth gives me a little bit of faith.

I just hope it's confirmed in the coming election cycle when the Dems follow the lesson learned this past November to pick a candidate that matches the district they're running in, not the national DNC advisors and idiots that lost to Trump a second time.

Which, as I said, means stomaching centrist candidates in a majority of districts/elections.

Taking their ball and going home again in the midterms will be the coup de grace of the United States as we know it.

#12 | Posted by jpw at 2026-01-13 11:32 AM

I was a registered Republican until the early 2000's when the misogyny of the Republican-affiliated Tea Party came to the fore.

So you voted for McCain?

Only that it's 100% not true. This country isn't generating more independents.

the forces against it are massively too powerful.

I think it is, as the parties horse shoe towards totalitarianism, it leaves alot of stragglers behind.

#13 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-01-13 11:45 AM

I think it is, as the parties horse shoe towards totalitarianism, it leaves alot of stragglers behind.

#13 | Posted by oneironaut

I was going to mention the saying about 1/3 of the population killing another 1/3 of the population while the other 1/3 watched...

But it seems there is no source attributable to it as Werner Herzog is apparently misattributed as the source.

Anywho, I think it applies still, even if we don't know who actually said it. Our numbers are just a little bit off with about 1/4 wanting to kill another 1/4 while 1/2 watches.

Although the way things are going, I don't think that 1/2 are just idle accepting it.

#14 | Posted by jpw at 2026-01-13 11:53 AM

Sorry to say it, but this should shake progressives a bit.

What are you taking about?

The reason people are abandoning the Democratic Party is because it's nothing more than republican lite policies from people owned by the wealthy ruling class. Has been since Bill, the super predator, Clinton.

Mamdani swept New York with his progressive platform.

Wake up fool. The only way democrats win is by actually supporting working class Americans with things like national healthcare and education.

Fighting back against republican's regressive policies and having some minerals to abandon billionaires.

#15 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-01-13 06:50 PM

This isn't about Jill Stein being a piece of s--t.

This is about Copmala Harris being a piece of s--t who wouldn't denounce a genocide. This is about the DNC supporting loser center-right garbage.

"Vote blue no matter who" isn't a winning strategy, and the Democratic party has to fix the garbage candidates or people WILL stay home. Just because I'm a solid "lesser of evils" voter doesn't mean most people are, and doesn't mean everybody owes the Democrats their vote.

Want to win? Stop supporting genocide, you f--kwits. We need free healthcare. We need fewer and far less militarized cops. And we need better consumer protection and privacy laws. We need a better education system, not bulls--t jesus indoctrination. And we need fewer billionaires and far less of a wealth gap.

#16 | Posted by DarkVader at 2026-01-13 08:35 PM

#16 Cart before the horse, DarkVader.

Absolutely zero of what America absolutely needs...

...free healthcare. We need fewer and far less militarized cops. And we need better consumer protection and privacy laws. We need a better education system, not bulls--t jesus indoctrination. And we need fewer billionaires and far less of a wealth gap.

... will ever come about until Democrats overwhelming control all 3 branches of the federal government.

In the binary political system we have in the USA, only overwhelming support for Democrats - across the board - will bring about those absolute needs.

Anything less, and any internecine warriors who undermine those efforts, will guarantee stalemate ahead for as far as the eye can see.

And stalemate means the GOP/billionaire class will continue unimpeded.

(Oh, and getting rid of Schumer and, sadly, Jeffries, is needed - but only until Democrats overwhelming control Washington DC.)

Eye on the prize, DV...

Eye on the prize.

#17 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-13 08:47 PM

It was her "Turn" Too.
The DNC never learns.

#7 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2026-01-12 11:03 PM | FLAG GFY

Kamala did remarkably well under the circumstances. You act as if a woman running for president is normal and Trumpanzee's victory was some sort of slaughter rather than he is the only MAN to to ever perform so poorly against a woman candidate. You act like winning against a woman is a big deal. The only time Trumpanzee wins elections is against women... it a field that is always male-dominated... Biden kicked his ass until he got sick.

Republicl0wns put is another frat boy nepo baby into office... who is leaving office in disgrace...annnnnnnnnddddd they elected the last one twice... seems to me if anyone hasn't learned... it's the cl0wns... again.

Republicl0wn fecked up again... only worse... and they know it.

#18 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2026-01-13 10:12 PM

It's already too late, the wealth transfer upward is too drastic this time, we are all going to eat $#!+ and like it

#19 | Posted by hamburglar at 2026-01-14 06:03 AM

shocking that as the right and the lefts extreme wings become more extreme people are left not wanting to associate with the brand.

#20 | Posted by kwrx25 at 2026-01-14 10:22 AM

shocking that as the right and the lefts extreme wings
#20 | Posted by kwrx25

Kid, there ain't no left wing extremism in American politics.

#21 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-01-14 10:25 AM

#21 Yep.

And thanks, Snoofy.

#22 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-14 10:28 AM

Wake up fool. The only way democrats win is by actually supporting working class Americans with things like national healthcare and education.
Fighting back against republican's regressive policies and having some minerals to abandon billionaires.

#15 | Posted by ClownShack

Those examples have widespread support in the populace. They're not "progressive" ideas and haven't been for some time.

You seem to be under the impression that centrist ideas are not geared towards supporting working class Americans. My guess is you likely have a skewed idea of what your average voter sees as "Progressive."

BTW I'm far more awake than you are. You're continuing to push a losing horse of a party and likely didn't see the massive systemic problems that lead to Trump winning again in 2024.

#23 | Posted by jpw at 2026-01-14 10:47 AM

#17 | Posted by A_Friend

Bingo.

Too many Dems are too busy being Veruca Salt to notice why the loony toons right keeps stomping them - it's because the right, for all their flaws, have played the long game and built their current power structure from the ground up.

"Progressives" are still stuck on the FDR model of top-down change in a single fell swoop. And it simply doesn't work in our current political environment.

So, instead of being pragmatic and voting to keep our republic alive, they took their 'don't care how, I want it now' ball and stayed home. Now we're where we are and they sneer at any suggestion that they share a massive portion of the blame of our current predicament.

#24 | Posted by jpw at 2026-01-14 10:51 AM

#24 JPW says, "...- it's because the right, for all their flaws, have played the long game and built their current power structure from the ground up."

100% correct.

See: Lewis Powell Memorandum to the US Chamber of Commerce, August 23, 1971

#25 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-14 10:57 AM

#24 And thank you, JPW.

#26 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-14 10:58 AM

This young Democrat seems to have decent progressive ideas; some have already taken flight, like healthcare for under two-year-olds in NYC:

img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net

static01.nyt.com

media.tag24.de

#27 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-01-14 11:00 AM

Whenever Republicl0wn screw the pooch, suddenly there is a Republiclown exodus into the innocuous... to save face.

#28 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2026-01-14 11:03 AM

#27 Our good friend, by C0RI0LANUS, says, "This young Democrat seems to have decent progressive ideas..."

Never fear the next generation. At one time we were all the next generation.

#29 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-14 11:04 AM

Whenever Republicl0wn screw the pooch, suddenly there is a Republiclown exodus into the innocuous... to save face.

#28 | Posted by RightisTrite

There was a wave of newly minted "libertarians" here after Bush The Dumber.

#30 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-01-14 11:23 AM

Snoofy... on a spectrum what do you call the left most part in comparison the part just a little left of the middle?

Perhaps moderate left and extreme left? Doesn't have to mean extremism

#31 | Posted by kwrx25 at 2026-01-14 02:21 PM

the far left socialist / communist have taken over the Party and the Moderate Democrats are leaving

that's the story

#32 | Posted by Maverick at 2026-01-15 02:08 PM

Drudge Retort Headlines

Spain Permanently Withdraws Ambassador from Israel (82 comments)

2.500 US Marines, Another Ship Ordered to the Mideast (55 comments)

Michigan Synagogue Attacker Had Family Killed in Lebanon by Israel (46 comments)