CNN’s own numbers man, Harry Enten, just dropped another bombshell—and it’s not the kind of news Democrats want to hear. Over the weekend, while speaking with anchor Jessica Dean on CNN Newsroom, Enten walked through voter registration trends in four key swing states. His conclusion? Republicans are seeing historic gains, and Democrats look as lost as ever.
“Look, the Democratic brand right now has about the appeal with the American voter as the Cracker Barrel rebrand has with the American consumers,” Enten said flatly. “Bad, bad, bad. What are you doing?”
That’s the question Democrats can’t seem to answer. Instead of addressing their cratering support, they’ve leaned into gimmicks. They’ve tried swearing more to win back men. They’ve tried mimicking Donald Trump’s online style in a desperate bid for relevance. None of it is working. The party is rudderless, and voters know it.
Enten’s data tells the story. Republicans are posting their best voter registration numbers in Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Nevada in at least two decades. Arizona is up +3 points, North Carolina +8, Pennsylvania +8, and Nevada +6. As Enten put it, “the Republican Party is in their best position at this point in the cycle since at least 2005.”
He also pointed out something Democrats don’t want to admit: the GOP is winning over disillusioned Democrats. That kind of realignment doesn’t happen overnight—it’s the result of years of frustration with a party more obsessed with woke slogans than common-sense solutions. “When it comes to party registration, Republicans have made massive gains compared to eight years ago,” Enten explained.
The trend couldn’t be clearer. Republicans are building momentum in the states that will decide the next election. Meanwhile, Democrats are scrambling to cling to averages that historically show the sitting president’s party losing seats in midterms. Since World War II, the president’s party has lost an average of 28 House seats and four Senate seats. If Democrats can’t stop the bleeding, 2026 could bring another historic red wave.
It wouldn’t be the first warning sign. Enten reminded viewers that just before the 2024 election, he told a skeptical panel that voter registration numbers were flashing red for Democrats. A week later, Donald Trump swept all seven key swing states in a landslide.
Now those same warning signs are back. If Democrats don’t change course—and fast—voters may write the eulogy for their party themselves in 2026.
