Gallup Poll: The Independent Majority Is Here
New polling from Gallup shows a fundamental change in how Americans see themselves politically — and it’s not a win for either major party.
A Record Number of Independents
In 2025, 45% of U.S. adults identified as political independents, the highest level Gallup has ever recorded. Democrats and Republicans are tied at 27% each.
For the first time, nearly half the country is choosing not to claim a party label at all.
This Shift Is Generational
Political independence is most common among younger Americans — and it’s not fading with age.
Majorities of Gen Z and millennials identify as independents
More than four in ten Gen X adults do the same
Baby boomers and the Silent Generation remain more evenly divided
Unlike past generations, younger voters are not “aging into” party loyalty. Independence is becoming a long-term identity.
Independents Still Shape Power
Rejecting party labels doesn’t mean disengaging from politics.
Among independents:
20% lean Democratic
15% lean Republican
10% do not lean either way
When leanings are included, 47% of Americans align with Democrats, compared with 42% with Republicans, giving Democrats a narrow edge in overall party affiliation for the first time since 2021.
What’s Driving the Movement
This shift isn’t about growing enthusiasm for Democrats. In fact, both parties remain historically unpopular.
Gallup notes that changes like this often reflect dissatisfaction with the party in power. Independents, who have weaker party attachments, tend to move first — and their movement can reshape elections quickly.
Ideology Is Narrowing
The ideological gap is tightening as well:
Conservatives still outnumber liberals, but by the smallest margin Gallup has ever measured
Fewer Americans identify as “moderate”
Liberal identification has increased, particularly among Democrats
Why It Matters
Americans are not disengaging — they are withholding loyalty.
Trust is no longer assumed. It is conditional, responsive, and revocable.
And right now, the largest political group in the country is independent.