(DCNF)—A growing share of Americans are ditching the Democratic Party as it suffers one of its sharpest decline in voter affiliation in decades, a new NBC News analysis shows.
Between 2024 and 2025 alone, Democrats experienced one of their most severe year-over-year losses, dropping 1.3 percentage points in registered voter share, according to a recent NBC News analysis of data compiled by Ballotpedia across 33 states and Washington, D.C. The trend reflects mounting disillusionment among Democrats and the turmoil within the Democratic National Committee (DNC) following the party’s devastating loss to President Donald Trump in 2024.
Democrats’ registration numbers have dropped nearly every year since 2000, except during former President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, the analysis found. In 2000, Democrats represented 43.8% of registered voters, but today, that number has fallen to 37%.
Republicans have also seen a decline, although less severe, dropping from 32.8% to 30.9% since 2000, according to the analysis. In contrast, independent and third-party affiliations increased from 23.4% to 32%.
“The parties need to do something more than just win the next election. They need to build a structure for the future,” Christopher Cooper, a professor of political science at Western Carolina University in North Carolina, told NBC News. “They’re not telling people why membership has its privileges. I think they need to be aware of this, or else they’re going to have a real problem in the future.”
The shift in party affiliation was also reflected in exit polls from the 2024 presidential election, which indicated that, for the first time, self-identified independents outnumbered Democrats and matched Republicans.
Recent studies spell more trouble for Democrats, revealing fractures in key voting blocs and growing frustrations within the party.
An analysis of 2024 election data by Blue Rose Research, a Democrat-aligned data firm, found that younger voters and the politically unengaged are shifting towards Republicans. The study also found that a majority of men across all racial groups supported Trump over former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Moreover, only about one-third of Democrats indicate they were “very optimistic” or “somewhat optimistic” about the future of the party, according to a poll conducted in May by the Associated Press. Another survey recently found that 62% of Democrats believe the party’s leadership should be replaced with new faces.
The DNC is facing intense infighting and a sharp decline in donations, with some party officials reportedly considering borrowing money to stay afloat. Leadership disputes — highlighted by the recent ousting of former DNC vice chair David Hogg — have further destabilized the party’s unity.
The DNC did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.