A record 45% of U.S. adults identified as political independents in 2025, according to new Gallup data, a shift that coincided with Democrats regaining an advantage in overall party affiliation after three years of Republican dominance.
Gallup found that while 27% of Americans identified as Democrats and 27% as Republicans, the balance tipped toward Democrats once the leanings of independents were factored in. An average of 47% of U.S. adults identified as Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents in 2025, compared with 42% who identified as Republicans or leaned Republican.
