Support for capital punishment in the United States has fallen to its lowest level in more than five decades, with just 49% of American adults favoring the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to a new Gallup poll released Tuesday.

The findings mark the first time since 1971 that public support for executions has dropped below 50%, reflecting a significant shift in American attitudes toward one of the country's most debated criminal justice policies.

The decline comes amid renewed national attention on the administration of capital punishment, including a failed lethal injection in Tennessee and outgoing California Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision to commute the death sentences of hundreds of inmates.

Despite the nationwide decline, support remains substantially higher among Republicans than among Democrats. Gallup found that 73% of Republicans favor the death penalty for convicted murderers, compared with just 28% of Democrats. Independents are evenly divided, with 50% supporting capital punishment.

Although support has weakened across political groups, Democrats remain the most opposed to executions, highlighting the growing partisan divide over the issue. Republicans continue to express strong support for maintaining capital punishment as a sentencing option for the most serious crimes.

The debate received renewed attention following the unsuccessful execution of convicted murderer Christa Pike in Tennessee. The incident prompted state officials to suspend further executions for the remainder of the year while questions surrounding the state's lethal injection procedures received additional scrutiny.

The failed execution also renewed concerns about whether states can reliably carry out lethal injections without serious complications, adding another dimension to the national discussion over execution methods and capital punishment.

In California, Newsom recently commuted the death sentences of hundreds of inmates, preventing their execution while he prepares to leave office. The Democratic governor has been a longtime opponent of capital punishment, and the decision represents one of his most significant actions involving the state's death row.

Newsom is also considered a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, giving the decision additional political significance as the parties remain divided over criminal justice policy.

Gallup's survey was conducted Oct. 1-19, following the failed Tennessee execution, but the polling does not establish whether that incident contributed to declining support for the death penalty. The poll surveyed 1,200 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.