More Americans identify as political independents, a new poll shows

"Just under half, 45%, of U.S. adults now identify as independents, a new Gallup survey found. That's a substantial shift from 20 years ago, when closer to one-third of Americans said they didn't identify with the Democrats or Republicans. This group appears, increasingly, to be driven by their unhappiness with the party in power, according to Gallup's analysis. That's a dynamic that could be good for Democrats in this year's midterm elections, but doesn't promise lasting loyalty."

"Independents have long been the largest political group in the U.S., and their numbers have increased over the last 15 years. But often, they're more inclined to side with one of the parties over the other. This year, the Democratic Party gained the partisanship edge when independents were asked whether they lean more toward the Democratic or Republican Party. Nearly half, 47%, of U.S. adults now identify as Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 42% are Republicans or lean Republican."

"Younger people, in particular, are rejecting the parties at much higher rates than older generations. More than half of Generation Z and Millennials identify as political independents, while a majority of older generations side with a party. That's different from the past, when more young adults identified with the Democrats or the Republicans. And it's part of the reason why frequent, dramatic swings in political power may become increasingly normal."

Forty-five percent of U.S. adults now identify as political independents, up substantially from about one-third two decades earlier. Independence appears increasingly driven by unhappiness with the party in power, producing short-term swings that can advantage the opposition in midterm elections without creating lasting loyalty. Independents have trended toward the Democrats over the past year in party-lean questions, yet their attitudes toward Democrats have not warmed, suggesting gains reflect growing sourness toward President Donald Trump. Younger cohorts show the strongest shift: more than half of Generation Z and Millennials identify as independents, while older generations remain more likely to side with a party.

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