Democratic voters in New York City are sending a blunt message to party leaders: they are unhappy, frustrated, and ready for a shake-up.
A new 5 Borough Barometer survey from the Honan Strategy Group found deep dissatisfaction among Democratic voters across the city, with many saying the party is falling short when it comes to fighting for working people and standing up to the Trump administration.
Half of Democratic voters surveyed said one of their top priorities in this year’s closely watched congressional primaries is electing a younger, more progressive generation of Democrats willing to challenge the party establishment.
That frustration comes as the party’s standing among its own voters appears shaky. According to the poll, 63% of Democratic voters have a favorable view of the Democratic Party overall, while 35% have an unfavorable view. That means more than one in three Democratic voters surveyed hold a negative opinion of their own party.
Bradley Honan, president and CEO of Honan Strategy Group, said the numbers point to a party facing serious internal pressure.
“It’s startling. Democrats are flunking their party,” Honan said. “Party members are unhappy with their leadership. The party’s voters are looking for change, and they are looking for it now.”
The findings could be welcome news for the Democratic Socialists of America and other left-wing groups backing insurgent candidates in Tuesday’s primary elections. Progressive challengers are trying to unseat several incumbent Democrats, including Reps. Adriano Espaillat, Dan Goldman, Grace Meng, and Ritchie Torres.
The survey asked voters whether primary challenges against those incumbents were a healthy sign that would strengthen the party or a divisive distraction that would weaken Democrats. A plurality, 43%, said the challenges were healthy. Just 13% called them a distraction, while 37% said they were both.
The poll also found widespread concern over whether Democrats are doing enough for working-class Americans. Seventy-eight percent of voters said the party was doing only a fair or poor job fighting for working people. Just 22% rated the party’s performance as excellent or good.
Voters were similarly unimpressed with the national party’s response to the Trump administration. Seventy-four percent said Democrats were either not very effective or not at all effective in pushing back against the president.
“The verdict is consistent and citywide: New York City Democrats are not satisfied with where the Democratic Party stands, and they are ready for it to change,” Honan said.
The DSA has already made major gains in New York politics. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s 2018 victory over former Rep. Joe Crowley marked a turning point for the movement, and Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win last year further showed the strength of the city’s progressive left. Democratic socialist candidates have also gained ground in the state Legislature.
This year, candidates such as Darializa Avila Chevalier are hoping to build on that momentum by challenging establishment Democrats in Congress.
Honan said the DSA and its allies have been able to capitalize on the frustration many Democratic voters feel toward their party’s leadership.
“The DSA has been tapping into this frustration with the Democratic Party very effectively,” he said. “It’s going to be an interesting set of elections.”
