Pat Dollard | Young Americans

POLITICO:

The percentage of Americans who hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party has slipped below 50 percent for the first time since President Barack Obama took office, according to a new Pew Research Center poll released Wednesday.

Only 49 percent of Americans now hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party, down from 62 percent in the same poll shortly after Obama assumed office. Democratic favorable ratings hovered around 60 percent as recently as April, when 59 percent of those polled held a favorable view.

The national survey of 2,010 adults conducted Aug. 11-17 also found that 51 percent of Americans approve of Obama’s job performance with 37 percent disapproving. Independents split 45 percent-43 percent in approving of the president’s performance.

While Democratic numbers have plunged, the GOP has yet to see any uptick among voters. Only 40 percent of those polled held a favorable view of the Republican Party, a number which Pew noted “has not changed all year.”

In addition, a growing number of Americans believe Obama and Republican leaders are not working together to address the problems facing the nation. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) think the two groups are not working together, compared to 50 percent in June.

The number of Americans who blame Obama for not working with GOP leaders is also on the rise. Among those polled, 17 percent blamed the president, up from 12 percent in June. But even more (29 percent) held GOP leaders responsible for not working together, up from 26 percent in February.