‘Atrociously Awful’: Dems Approval Ratings Crash Within Their Own Party
‘Atrociously Awful’: Dems Approval Ratings Crash Within Their Own Party
New polling data highlighted by Harry Enten suggests growing dissatisfaction among Democratic voters with their party’s congressional leadership, raising concerns ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Speaking on CNN, Enten pointed to a sharp decline in net approval ratings for Democratic congressional leaders among Democrats themselves. According to the data, internal approval has fallen from positive territory in previous election cycles to negative levels, signaling a notable shift in sentiment within the party.
“In 2006, Democrats’ net approval of their congressional leaders was strongly positive, and even as recently as the last midterm it remained well above zero,” Enten said. “Now, the bottom has fallen out.”
The polling also indicates broader dissatisfaction with Democratic leadership priorities. Roughly three-quarters of respondents overall said congressional Democrats have the wrong priorities, while only about one-quarter said they have the right ones.
Notably, that skepticism extends to Democratic-leaning voters. Among Democrats and independents who lean Democratic, a majority expressed doubts about whether party leaders are focused on the right issues. Enten characterized the findings as a warning sign that could lead to increased primary challenges within the party.
“These numbers are just awful,” he said, adding that the data “screams primary challenges.”
Separate national polling reinforces concerns about the Democratic Party’s broader standing with voters. According to recent averages compiled by RealClearPolitics, Democrats hold a net favorability rating of approximately -20 points, with a majority of Americans viewing the party unfavorably.
By comparison, President Donald J. Trump also maintains a negative approval rating, though slightly less severe in some surveys. Polling cited from Quinnipiac University found Trump’s approval at around -18 points, while the Democratic Party favorability was even lower.
Additional data from a Yahoo News/YouGov survey showed similar trends, with both Trump and Democrats underwater nationally. However, the surveys indicate Republicans remain more unified in their support for Trump than Democrats are for their own party.
Among Republican voters, Trump’s approval ratings remain overwhelmingly positive, while Democratic voters show comparatively lower levels of enthusiasm for their party. Analysts view this gap in internal cohesion as a potential vulnerability for Democrats.
Despite these challenges, Democrats continue to show strength in some key political indicators. Multiple polls give the party an advantage on the generic congressional ballot, suggesting they remain competitive in the fight for control of Congress. In the Yahoo News/YouGov poll, Democrats led by four points, while the Quinnipiac survey showed an even wider margin.
Democrats have also notched a series of special election victories in districts previously carried by Trump, pointing to continued electoral competitiveness despite broader favorability concerns.
The mixed polling landscape presents a complex picture as both parties look ahead to the 2026 midterms. While Democrats face internal dissatisfaction and weak favorability ratings, they continue to perform well in certain electoral tests. Republicans, meanwhile, show stronger internal unity but face their own challenges with independent voters.
For Democratic leadership, the emerging data underscores a key tension: maintaining voter support within their own coalition while appealing to a broader electorate in a highly polarized political environment.
As the midterm cycle approaches, how party leaders respond to these internal concerns could play a significant role in shaping candidate fields, campaign strategies, and ultimately, election outcomes.
Leaked Congressional Bill Triggers Panic as Midnight Vote Slashes Monthly Social Security Checks for Seniors 65+ Starting Next Month
Leaked Congressional Bill Triggers Panic as Midnight Vote Slashes Monthly Social Security Checks for Seniors 65+ Starting Next Month
WASHINGTON — Millions of American seniors were thrown into an absolute financial panic on Friday morning following the sudden emergence of a fast-tracked emergency legislative package quietly pushed through Capitol Hill, mandating immediate, sweeping cuts to monthly Social Security benefit disbursements for retirees aged 65 and older starting on the first of next month.
The draconian proposal, crafted behind closed doors under an urgent deficit-stabilization mandate, sent shockwaves across the country, crashing government phone lines, igniting fiery protests outside the Capitol, and forcing retirement advocacy groups into round-the-clock emergency mobilization.
The Midnight Compromise: A 22% Benefit Redirection
The firestorm erupted when an unredacted 450-page legislative rider, dubbed the Federal Solvency and Mandatory Outlay Alignment Act, slipped out of a closed-door committee session just hours before an emergency floor vote.
Framed by fiscal hardliners as the only viable mechanism to prevent an imminent trust fund insolvency crisis, the measure bypasses standard multi-year phase-in windows, enacting immediate cuts:
Direct Check Reductions: All monthly Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) disbursements issued to beneficiaries aged 65 and older will face an immediate, across-the-board reduction of up to 22% starting with the upcoming calendar cycle.
COLA Freezes: Cost-of-living adjustments are effectively frozen through 2029, eliminating statutory inflation relief despite persistent grocery and utility increases.
Means-Tested Clawbacks: Seniors earning even modest secondary supplemental income—including basic part-time wages or modest pension distributions—face tiered clawbacks that could strip up to 40% of their monthly federal deposit.
"This isn't an adjustment—it is an economic execution for millions of fixed-income Americans," warned an incensed senior advocacy director on the Capitol steps. "People who paid into this system for fifty years are being told with three weeks' notice that their grocery and medication budgets are being slashed in half. It is a total betrayal of the social contract."
Capitol Chaos: Phones Jammed and Protests Swarm the Rotunda
Within thirty minutes of the draft text circulating on financial wires, the reaction across the country was instantaneous and overwhelming:
Switchboards Crash: Congressional call centers and the Social Security Administration’s national 1-800 helpline completely buckled under catastrophic call volumes, registering over eight million automated attempts in under two hours.
Protests at the Steps: Hundreds of retirees, union workers, and healthcare advocates converged on the Capitol plaza, waving signs reading "Hands Off Our Checks" and "We Paid In Full," chanting loudly enough to echo through the rotunda corridors.
Floor Clashes: A scheduled procedural roll call derailed into screaming matches across the aisle, with lawmakers shouting over gavel strikes and hurling accusations of economic sabotage as armed Capitol Police tightened security around committee entryways.
Senior Panic: The Human Cost of Overnight Slashes
Across the nation, the realization that next month’s direct deposits could arrive hundreds of dollars short triggered raw fear among vulnerable households:
Prescription Triage: Healthcare networks reported frantic calls from seniors inquiring how to ration insulin, blood pressure medication, and cardiac prescriptions ahead of the expected budget drop.
Housing Insecurity: Housing advocacy groups warned of a catastrophic surge in senior evictions, noting that over 40% of single elderly Americans rely on Social Security for ninety percent or more of their total monthly livelihood.
Bank Runs Averted: Federal banking regulators issued rapid advisories urging calm as panicked account holders lined up at local credit unions and community banks demanding physical cash withdrawals.
An Explosive Political Reckoning
At 11:30 AM EST, legislative leadership scrambled to contain the mounting revolt, with defensive sponsors issuing brief statements claiming the immediate reductions are "provisional emergency balancing measures" subject to future review.
The defense did little to stem the fury. Within moments, the leaked draft dominated national cable news panels and saturated social media feeds under the viral trending hashtags #SaveSocialSecurity, #SeniorsBetrayed, and #MidnightBillWalkout.
With a final procedural vote looming and outrage reaching a boiling point nationwide, the controversial package has ignited an existential political showdown, leaving millions of aging Americans terrified of what will arrive in their bank accounts when the calendar turns next month.
Lisa Kennedy recently married Fred in Hawaii: Who is the Fox News star’s new husband?
Lisa Kennedy recently married Fred in Hawaii: Who is the Fox News star’s new husband?
Fox News personality Lisa “Kennedy” Montgomery has entered a new chapter in her personal life after marrying Fred in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Hawaii.
Kennedy shared photographs from the celebration at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai, giving followers a glimpse of the man she now calls her husband and the friends who joined them for the occasion.
“Married the love of my life at the Four Seasons Lanai in a Heidi Merrick dress drenched in sunshine and aloha,” Kennedy wrote. “I love you forever, Fred!!”
While Kennedy has been open about how much Fred means to her, she has kept many details about her new husband firmly outside the public spotlight.
Kennedy and Fred celebrate their marriage in Hawaii
The couple exchanged vows during an outdoor ceremony overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Kennedy wore a sparkling white Heidi Merrick gown with a fitted silhouette, completing her bridal look with a veil and colorful tropical bouquet. Fred wore a light-blue suit with a white shirt, light-colored tie and brown shoes. The newlyweds also wore traditional Hawaiian leis.
Photographs showed Kennedy and Fred walking hand in hand as guests applauded, with the bride raising her bouquet in celebration. Another captured them cutting their multi-tiered wedding cake against a backdrop of palm trees, ocean views and the evening sky.
The wedding announcement became a major moment among Kennedy’s followers, receiving more than 154,000 likes and nearly 2,000 comments.
Several familiar Fox News personalities were also part of the celebration. Emily Compagno, Abby Hornacek and Alexis McAdams were among the recognizable guests photographed in Hawaii.
Emily later wrote that they had the “best time celebrating Kennedy and Fred’s marriage,” adding, “The Fox family showed up for our favorite girl.”
Who is Kennedy’s husband, Fred?
Despite the attention surrounding their wedding, Fred remains largely a private figure.
Based on what Kennedy has publicly shared, his surname, profession and detailed background have not been revealed. Even when announcing her marriage, Kennedy continued referring to her husband simply as Fred.
What she has shared, however, offers some insight into how unexpectedly their relationship entered her life.
Lisa Kennedy and her new husband Fred / Youtube
Kennedy discussed Fred publicly when announcing their engagement on The Five in December 2025. She revealed that he had proposed on December 10 and said the two had met recently and “unexpectedly.”
During the emotional on-air conversation, Kennedy described the impact their meeting had on her life.
“He is the most beautiful, wonderful human being,” she said. “And I had totally given up until those elevator doors opened and I met him out of the blue — he changed my life.”
Kennedy has not provided additional details about exactly where that first meeting occurred or the circumstances surrounding it.
Their relationship began before the public announcement
Although viewers did not learn about the engagement until December 2025, Kennedy revealed another detail suggesting Fred had quietly been part of her life for some time.
She told her The Five colleagues that she had secretly brought him to the Fox Christmas party the previous year.
“I snuck him in. Don’t tell security,” Kennedy joked during the conversation.
That revelation indicated the couple had already been seeing each other by at least December 2024, even though Kennedy had kept the relationship away from public attention.
Dana Perino was among those particularly moved by the engagement news.
Perino recalled learning about it while Kennedy was appearing on America’s Newsroom, telling her colleague that the announcement had made her cry.
“And Fred is such a wonderful guy,” Perino said before telling Kennedy, “I cried because I’m so happy for you.”
From a private romance to a Hawaiian wedding
Kennedy continued keeping Fred’s personal details private even as she became more open about their relationship.
That approach remained evident at their wedding. While she shared numerous photographs of their special day and publicly expressed her love for her new husband, she did not use the occasion to reveal his surname, career or other biographical information.
Instead, Kennedy kept the attention on their marriage and the happiness surrounding it.
The couple received congratulations from numerous familiar names, including Kat Timpf, Janice Dean, Sandra Smith, Griff Jenkins, Abby Hornacek and Meghan McCain.
For followers who had watched Kennedy announce her engagement months earlier, the Hawaiian ceremony provided the next chapter in a relationship that had largely developed outside the public eye.
What is publicly known about Fred remains limited, but Kennedy has made one thing unmistakably clear: she considers him the man who unexpectedly entered her life, changed it and ultimately became her husband.
From secretly attending a Fox Christmas party together to an emotional engagement announcement and finally exchanging vows beside the Pacific Ocean, Kennedy and Fred have now made their commitment official — while continuing to keep much of their story between themselves.
