Republicans optimistic and relieved, Democrats afraid and angry after election: Gallup

Republicans are optimistic and relieved, while Democrats are afraid and angry in the wake of President-elect Trump's defeat of Vice President Harris, according to a Gallup survey released Monday.

In the Gallup survey, 86 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said they are “optimistic” as a “reaction to Donald Trump being elected president,” according to Gallup. Majorities of GOP voters also said they were relieved, excited and proud as a result of the election result.

Seventy-six percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said they were “afraid” as a reaction to the election. This group also reported feeling angry and devastated by the result.

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The election was not only a win for Trump, but for Republicans in Congress. The GOP won back the Senate majority and held the House majority. This will give Trump a better chance of enacting his legislative policies.

Gallup reported in its polling that very few Democrats surveyed expressed any positive emotions, while very few Republicans expressed any negative ones.

Trump also won the White House in 2016, but Gallup said there were differences in how people are reacting today and from eight years ago, according to its polling.

The biggest difference in emotions, it said, is the number of people saying they are surprised. In 2016, 75 percent of all adults were surprised by Trump's win, compared to just 41 percent this time.

It found slightly more Americans saying they are proud or excited about Trump's win compared to 2016.

Other findings in the Gallup survey included the president-elect’s rival in the 2024 election, Vice President Harris, being seen less favorably than Trump. Forty-eight percent in the survey said they see Trump favorably, while 42 percent said they see Harris favorably.

The Gallup survey took place Nov. 6-20, featuring 1,001 people and a 4 percentage point margin of error.