But look at how Democrats view their congressional leaders in a recent Quinnipiac University poll. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer both have net favorability (favorable – unfavorable) ratings of +40 points or higher.

In the last two Democratic primaries for president, the “party decided.” Biden and Clinton were the clear leader in endorsements from major party officials and both won. Sanders, who had few endorsements, found his momentum blunted at moments when he could have turned his movement into a nomination for president.

This is the opposite of the Republican Party. The party decides model broke down in a big way in 2016. A candidate who wasn’t even a Republican a decade prior marches to the nomination. He did so while bashing the last Republican president at the time (George W. Bush) and with very few endorsements.

How Republicans feel about their own congressional leaders tells the same story. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (+13 points) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (+7 points) hold net favorability ratings that are less than half as high as those of the Democratic leaders. McConnell, in particular, has had negative net ratings among Republicans nationwide at numerous points.