Democratic affiliation at two-year high: Gallup

Democrats are leading Republicans by 7 points in party affiliation, according to a new Gallup poll, a two-year high.

Forty five percent of respondents in the survey out Tuesday said they identify as Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party, compared with 38 percent who said they identify as Republicans or lean toward the GOP.

The reason for the Democratic advantage, Gallup notes, has more to do with Republican affiliation decreasing rather than Democratic affiliation increasing. Republican Party affiliation has dropped 4 percentage points since the election in November, while Democratic Party affiliation has increased by 1 percentage point. The amount of Americans who do not identify with either party has increased by 3 percentage points.

{mosads}The Democrats’ current edge comes ahead of several special elections, including the upcoming June 20 election in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. Democrats are seeking to make the special elections a referendum on President Trump’s first several months in office, while hoping strong performances could provide indicators for the 2018 midterm elections. 

The poll was conducted from May 1-31 via telephone, surveying 15,219 individuals across the country. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1 percentage point.