A new poll found that 62% of self-identified Democrats say it’s time for a change of leadership, reflecting the escalating internal turmoil that has plagued the party since its 2024 election losses.
Just 24% of respondents support keeping the current leadership in place, while 14% remain unsure, according to a Reuters-Ipsos poll released on Thursday.
The poll comes at a moment of profound instability for Democrats, who are still reeling from the loss of the White House and both chambers of Congress last November. Since then, the party has struggled to articulate a coherent message, and recent high-profile resignations have further highlighted deep fractures within the Democratic National Committee.
In recent weeks, DNC Chairman Ken Martin has been the subject of criticism by fellow party members, having been called “weak” and “whiny.” On Monday, two major labor union leaders, Randi Weingarten and Lee Saunders, stepped down from their DNC roles, citing dissatisfaction with Martin’s leadership and exclusion from critical committee nominations.
“While I am a proud Democrat, I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging, and I do not want to be the one who keeps questioning why we are not enlarging our tent and actively trying to engage more and more of our community,” Weingarten wrote to Martin on June 5.
Former DNC Vice Chairman David Hogg also announced he would not be seeking reelection. Hogg and Martin had been at odds with each other for months, as Hogg had pledged to assist young Democrats financially in their campaigns against established older incumbents, whom he deemed “asleep at the wheel.”
Meanwhile, a leaked recording revealed Martin questioning his own ability to lead the DNC, further shaking confidence among rank-and-file members and donors.
Federal filings show the DNC’s cash reserves dropped by $4 million between January and April, while the Republican National Committee’s funds surged by $29 million in the same period. By May, the DNC held just $18 million, compared to the RNC’s $67.4 million.
Some of the party’s most recognizable faces also have begun publicly calling out their own.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has repeatedly lambasted Democratic messaging, accusing his party of “talking down” to voters. “Their primary currency was shaming and scolding,” he said earlier this year. “It’s toxic.”
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Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), widely seen as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, echoed those concerns on Real Time with Bill Maher.
“The Democratic brand is toxic right now,” he said.
