A new Gallup poll shows the Republican Party has reached its highest favorability rating in seven years, with just shy of half of all Americans saying they now view the GOP positively.
The GOP’s 45 percent favorability is up 9 percentage points over September of last year, and according to Gallup “is the party's most positive image since it registered 47% in January 2011, shortly after taking control of the House in the 2010 midterm elections.”
Democrats, on the other hand, have a 44-percent favorability.
Gallup credits the leap to increasing positivity among Republicans and right-leaning Independents toward the GOP, explaining:
The overall increase in the favorable image of the Republican Party is a result of a jump in the positive views of Republicans, including independents who lean toward the party. The percentage of Republicans and leaners with favorable views of their party grew from 67% last September to 85% now.
Gallup adds that men (50 percent) and middle-income households making between $30,000 and $75,000 per year (49 percent) tend to have the highest ratings of favorability toward the GOP by subcategory.