Pollster Patrick Allocco told Newsmax on Monday that the record number of American adults now identifying as political independents reflects frustration among younger voters who view both major parties as "damaged" brands.
Speaking on "Finnerty," Allocco said the shift is being driven primarily by Generation X, millennials, and Gen Z, according to recent Gallup polling.
He said the trend does not signal a mass defection from either party, but rather a growing rejection of rigid party labels.
"If you look at the reasons why, it's things like negative partisanship fatigue; the fact that these voters tend to vote left on one issue, right on another issue; and that they view party labels as subscriptions that they can cancel any time," Allocco said.
Allocco, founder of the Zoose Political Index, was responding to a Gallup poll released last week showing that 45% of U.S. adults now identify as independent — the highest level recorded since Gallup began regularly tracking party identification in 1988.
While the rise in independents does not structurally benefit Republicans or Democrats, Allocco noted that this voting bloc has historically leaned anti-incumbent.
"This is not a collapse of the GOP base by any means," he said.
"It's the soft edge — the leaners — moving toward the middle."
According to Allocco, the independent bloc now breaks down roughly as half moderates, with conservatives and liberals each making up about a quarter.
That composition, he said, still presents an opportunity for Republicans.
"So long as the GOP can target their messaging and connect with that voter, they can snap them back," Allocco said.
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