Survey: Third-Party Interest Rises as Voters Say Both Major Parties Are ‘Too Extreme’

A new Voto Latino survey obtained exclusively by The Hill finds growing openness to third-party presidential candidates alongside broad dissatisfaction with both major parties and mounting economic strain among many voters.

Key findings: 9% of all U.S. respondents said they could back a third-party candidate in the next presidential election. That includes 7% of people who voted in 2024 and 14% of those who did not vote in last year’s contest.

Widespread Dissatisfaction With Both Parties

Respondents reported low confidence in the major parties: 45% said Democrats are doing a poor job representing them, while 50% said the same about Republicans. Majorities across the electorate described the parties as ideologically extreme — 56% called the Democratic Party too liberal or progressive, and 60% said the Republican Party has become too conservative or right-wing.

Economic Concerns Drive Discontent

Voto Latino’s questionnaire included questions on individual financial strain that underscore the economic pressures shaping voter attitudes. Among respondents:

• 38% of Black respondents reported skipping a meal to save money.
• 39% of Latino respondents reported skipping a meal to save money.
• 32% of Black respondents said they took a second job or side hustle at least once a month in the past year to make ends meet.
• 31% of Latino respondents reported taking on additional work for the same reason.

“Neither party is cutting it,” said Maria Teresa Kumar, CEO of Voto Latino, summarizing the poll’s message. She added that voters’ frustrations stem less from a desire for moderation and more from disappointment with both parties’ performance on key economic issues.

Kumar praised parts of the Biden administration’s economic agenda but said improvements have not reached local communities quickly enough. She also criticized Democratic messaging and argued that some voters were drawn to President Trump’s aspirational messaging in 2024—even if, she said, it ultimately “sold a false good” amid inflationary pressures and controversial tariff moves.

Context And Implications

Voto Latino’s results align with other recent polls showing unease about the national economy. An Associated Press-NORC survey released the same week found just 31% of U.S. adults approved of President Trump’s handling of the economy, down from 40% in March.

Kumar urged Democrats to craft a concise, actionable economic message — a clear 3-5 point plan focused on issues such as manufacturing and childcare — to win back disengaged voters. She pointed to recent successful campaigns by Abigail Spanberger (Virginia), Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey) and Zohran Mamdani (New York City) as examples of candidates who effectively addressed economic concerns at the local level.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity to come up with a thriving economic agenda,” Kumar said. “Now is the time to think really big and offer [these voters] something.”

Reporting: Voto Latino survey obtained exclusively by The Hill.