BREAKING: CNN Admits Democrats Are in Their ‘Worst Position in 20 Years’

CNN has reluctantly admitted that Republicans are gaining ground amid the ongoing government shutdown, while Democrats have plunged to their lowest polling position in two decades.

The revelation came as CNN’s Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten broke down new polling numbers that show the GOP’s popularity rising despite relentless media attempts to paint the shutdown as a Republican failure.

According to Enten, Republican approval ratings in Congress have climbed five points since the shutdown began on October 1, including an eight-point jump among independent voters.

“What we’re seeing is the Republican brand has actually gotten better among independents, and it’s also gotten better among Republicans as well,” Enten said Tuesday.

The data, which CNN described as “concerning” for Democrats, shows that the shutdown has backfired politically for the left — a stunning reversal from what many pundits predicted when the government first closed.

“This is, in fact, the worst position Democrats have been on in a generic congressional ballot at this point in a midterm when there was a Republican president in the last 20 years,” Enten admitted. “And this is no different from pre-shutdown.”

The admission was quickly seized upon by conservatives who argue that the American people are seeing through the Democrats’ obstruction and political games.

CJ Pearson, Co-Chair of the RNC Youth Advisory Council, told Sky News that President Trump and Republicans in Congress have done their part to reopen the government — and it’s Democrats who are standing in the way.

“A few rogue Democrat members in the United States Senate are refusing to reopen the government,” Pearson said. “President Trump has done what he had to do, Republicans in Congress have done what they have to do to reopen this government. Democrats have to meet us in the middle; they are refusing to do so.”

Four weeks into the shutdown, the GOP’s approval continues to climb, signaling that the public is siding with the President’s approach over the Democrats’ gridlock.

The new polling also underscores a broader shift in political momentum heading into the 2026 midterms. Republicans appear energized, while Democrats — fractured by internal disputes and weak leadership — are losing their grip on independent voters.

CNN’s reluctant acknowledgment comes after weeks of coverage portraying the shutdown as politically disastrous for the GOP. Instead, the opposite has happened.

Voters appear to be rewarding Republicans for standing firm on key issues, including border security, government spending, and holding Democrats accountable for prioritizing political agendas over the American people.

For Democrats, the data could not come at a worse time. As the shutdown drags on, their approval ratings continue to crater — a sign that voters may no longer buy their blame-shifting tactics.

Even CNN’s own analysts could not ignore the trend. Enten described the polling as a “significant setback” for Democrats, noting that it’s unusual for the opposing party to lose ground during a government shutdown.

“This kind of polling data should be ringing alarm bells at DNC headquarters,” one GOP strategist told Headline USA. “If Republicans are gaining support during a shutdown, it means voters trust President Trump’s leadership more than the Democrats’ political theater.”

The results could have major implications for 2026, where control of both chambers of Congress will once again be up for grabs.

If the trend continues, Democrats could be facing devastating losses at the ballot box — similar to their historic defeats in 2010 and 2014.

Meanwhile, President Trump’s approval ratings have remained steady throughout the shutdown, suggesting that the public isn’t buying the mainstream narrative blaming him for the gridlock.

The message from voters appears clear: Democrats have overplayed their hand. Their refusal to compromise has backfired, and now even left-leaning media outlets are being forced to acknowledge reality.

As CNN begrudgingly admits, the Republican Party’s image is strengthening while Democrats find themselves in their weakest political position in twenty years — a development that could reshape the landscape heading into the midterms.

For the first time in years, it’s Democrats — not Republicans — who are on defense.