Politics
‘Best Position Ever’: CNN Host Reveals Stunning Data Point Dooming Democrats
On Friday CNN’s senior data reporter Harry Enten revealed what he called “one of the most shocking pieces of poll data” he’s seen in recent years—a key political metric historically dominated by Democrats has now evened out, with Republicans closing the gap in a stunning fashion.
“This to me is one of the most shocking pieces of poll data that I truly, truthfully have seen this year, maybe in any prior year,” Enten said, opening the segment. For decades, Democrats enjoyed a commanding lead on the question of which party “cares more about the needs of people like yourself.”
But that advantage appears to have evaporated.
“We got a tie even after this tariff war had already started,” Enten noted, referring to President Donald Trump’s reimposed tariffs on Chinese goods, which recently jumped to 145%.
Enten highlighted how, in past election cycles, Democrats consistently held a significant lead on the question. In 2017, ahead of the 2018 midterms, they were up by 13 points. That lead was even larger in 2005 at 23 points, and in 1994—despite being a strong year for Republicans—Democrats still led by 19 points.
But now? “All of a sudden, a tie?” Enten repeated in disbelief. “The Democrats, who are the party of the people… no more!”
That tie isn’t just a political trivia point—it reveals something far deeper about a changing electorate. The shift is largely being driven by the working class, particularly non-college-educated voters who have moved sharply toward the GOP over the past decade.
WATCH:
Enten pointed out that support among college-educated voters hasn’t changed—Democrats held an 18-point advantage in both 2017 and now. However, the shift among non-college-educated voters has been dramatic. In 2017, Democrats led that group by 7 points, but now Republicans have flipped the margin, holding a 9-point lead.
That 16-point swing among working-class voters is particularly notable because it’s occurred despite policies that Democrats thought would alienate blue-collar Americans—namely, Trump’s hardline trade stance.
“The working class, that is where Republicans have gained, even since the beginning of the Donald Trump administration,” Enten explained. As the country inches closer to the 2026 midterm elections, the implications of this data are significant.
“It’s Democrats, but just by a point,” Enten said. This looks very much still like what we saw in 2024, not like what we saw in 2017.”
He cautioned Democrats not to assume momentum is on their side. “If Democrats think they automatically have a ticket back to control of the House, I’d say hold on a second. Republicans still have a real shot at this, despite all of Trump’s theatrics over the last month with this tariff war.”
Despite repeated attempts by Democrats to paint the GOP as out of touch with the average American, the data shows that Republicans are resonating more with working-class voters than ever before. And that could be the key to maintaining—and potentially expanding—their grip on Congress.
The 2026 U.S. midterm elections, scheduled for November 3, will be pivotal in shaping the nation’s political landscape during President Trump’s second non-consecutive term.
