Support for a third major political party dipped slightly in the latest Gallup poll, but remains consistent with the overall trend established over the last decade.
In the survey, published Tuesday, Americans were asked whether they think “the Republican and Democratic parties do an adequate job of representing the American people” or whether the major parties “do such a poor job that a third major party is needed.”
A majority, 58 percent, say a third party is needed, while 37 percent say the Republican and Democratic parties do an adequate job. The 2024 poll represents a slight dip in third-party support, compared to the 62 percent who said in 2023 that a third party was needed and the 34 percent who said the parties do an adequate job.
Gallup first asked the question in 2003, which was the only time a majority of respondents — 56 percent — said the parties do an adequate job. Since 2014, Americans’ views have remained largely stable, hovering around the 60 percent support for a third party.
Political independents are most likely to say they support a third political party — a trend seen in the latest poll, in which 69 percent of independents backed the idea, and is consistent with past data.
The poll, conducted after independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his campaign and backed former President Trump’s bid for the White House, saw more support for third parties among Democrats and a drop in support among Republicans.
Democrats’ support for a potential third party increased to 53 percent this year, up from 46 percent last year, according to the poll. In the 21 surveys that Gallup has posed the question, a majority of Democrats have only backed a third party five times, with support never surpassing 54 percent.
Republicans’ support for a third party dropped 10 points, from 58 percent last year to 48 percent this year. The largest support recorded among GOP respondents was following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, when 63 percent backed the idea.
The Gallup poll, conducted Sept. 3-15, included 1,007 adults and had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
