Only 1 in 5 Democrats ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be an American: Poll

A file photo of an American flag. Yvonne Marcotte/The Epoch Times

As America gears up for the Fourth of July celebrations, national pride is taking center stage. But exactly how much pride swells people’s hearts appears to be linked to their political beliefs and fortunes—especially if they are Democrats.

In the latest Gallup poll, just one in five who identify as Democrats are willing now to declare themselves “extremely” proud of their country. Last year that figure (22 percent) stood at 32 percent.

“Democrats’ latest 22 percent extreme pride reading is the group’s lowest in Gallup’s 19 years of measurement, and is half of what it was several months before Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory,” said the Gallup report.

The poll asked people, “How proud are you to be an American—extremely proud, very proud, only a little proud, or not at all proud?”

The percentage of Republicans who answered “extremely proud” has risen steadily from 68 to 76 since 2016 when Trump was elected to office.

President Trump hugs the American flag as he arrives to speak at Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2019, in Oxon Hill, Md., on March 2, 2019. Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

Overall, that figure stands at 45 percent, the lowest level since the survey started 19 years ago. According to Gallup, however, the latest 2 percentage point decline from last year’s 47 is not a statistically significant change.

According to Gallup, “The latest overall declines in patriotism are largely driven by Democrats, whose self-reported pride has historically been lower and has fluctuated more than Republicans’.”

The survey has only been running since 2001. In the first few years of the survey, national pride appeared to get a bump as America’s military engaged in the war on terror.

Gallup said: “The highest readings on the measure, 69 percent and 70 percent, were between 2002 and 2004, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when the American public expressed high levels of patriotism and rallied around the U.S. government. Yet, since the start of George W. Bush’s second presidential term in 2005, fewer than 60 percent of Americans have expressed extreme pride in being American.”

For national pride to rally during military action is underlined by the fact the same poll also shows that the U.S. military is second on the list of national achievements that bring people pride in being an American.

“Strong majorities express pride in American scientific achievements, the U.S. military, American culture and arts, economic and sporting achievements, and diversity in race, ethnic background, and religion,” said the Gallup report.

The poll was conducted June 3-16 with a random sample of 1,015 adults. It has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.