Political Independents: Who They Are, What They Think
Most independents are not all that “independent” politically. And the small share of Americans who are truly independent stand out for their low level of interest in politics.
Public’s 2019 Priorities: Economy, Health Care, Education and Security All Near Top of List
Growing share sees ‘great deal of difference’ between the parties
Trump Begins Third Year With Low Job Approval and Doubts About His Honesty
At the second anniversary of his inauguration, public views of Donald Trump’s job performance, as well as his honesty and administration’s ethics, are decidedly negative. Yet opinions about the nation’s economy continue to be positive – and Trump’s handling of the economy remains a relative strength. Trump begins his third year with a 37% job […]
Most Border Wall Opponents, Supporters Say Shutdown Concessions Are Unacceptable
Partisan divide on whether shutdown is ‘very serious’ problem
Most Voters Have Positive Views of Their Midterm Voting Experiences
Voters approached the 2018 midterm elections with some trepidation about the voting process and many had concerns that U.S. election systems may be hacked. After the election, however, most say it was “very easy” to vote and confidence in election security has increased.
Conflicting Partisan Priorities for U.S. Foreign Policy
The public’s leading long-range foreign policy goals for the United States are focused on security, including economic security. About seven-in-ten (72%) say that taking measures to protect the U.S. from terrorist attacks should be a top priority for the country, while about as many (71%) say the same about protecting the jobs of American workers.
Public Expects Gridlock, Deeper Divisions With Changed Political Landscape
The public is generally positive about the outcome of last week’s midterm elections. Yet most Americans think that neither Democratic congressional leaders nor Donald Trump will be successful in getting their policies passed into law during the next two years.
More Now Say It’s ‘Stressful’ to Discuss Politics With People They Disagree With
Over the past two years, Americans have become more likely to say it is “stressful and frustrating” to have political conversations with those they disagree with. The change in opinions has come largely among Democrats: 57% now say that talking about politics with people they disagree with is stressful and frustrating, up from 45% two […]
Elections in America: Concerns Over Security, Divisions Over Expanding Access to Voting
With a week to go before Election Day, Americans are confident their local election authorities are up to the essential tasks of making sure that elections are run smoothly and that votes are counted accurately.
Gun Policy Remains Divisive, But Several Proposals Still Draw Bipartisan Support
The partisan divide that for years has defined public opinion about the nation’s gun policies remains firmly in place. Yet there continue to be several specific policy proposals that draw broad support from both Republicans and Democrats.
Little Partisan Agreement on the Pressing Problems Facing the U.S.
With less than four weeks until the midterm elections, Republican and Democratic voters differ widely in views of the seriousness of numerous problems facing the United States, including the fairness of the criminal justice system, climate change, economic inequality and illegal immigration. Majorities of registered voters who support Democratic candidates for Congress rate 13 of […]
2018 Midterm Voters: Issues and Political Values
Supporters of Republican and Democratic candidates in the upcoming congressional election are deeply divided over the government’s role in ensuring health care, the fairness of the nation’s economic system and views of racial equality in the United States.
Trump Gets Negative Ratings for Many Personal Traits, but Most Say He Stands Up for His Beliefs
Donald Trump receives generally negative ratings from the public across a range of personal traits and characteristics. Just 24% of Americans say Trump is even-tempered, while nearly three times as many (70%) say that description does not apply to him. Fewer than half say that Trump is a strong leader (43%), well-informed (38%), empathetic (36%) […]
Voter Enthusiasm at Record High in Nationalized Midterm Environment
With less than six weeks to go before the elections for Congress, voter enthusiasm is at its highest level during any midterm in more than two decades.
Republicans, Democrats See Opposing Party as More Ideological Than Their Own
Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to view the Democratic Party as very liberal. And the pattern is similar, though less pronounced, in views of the GOP’s ideology: More Democrats than Republicans see the Republican Party as very conservative. When asked to evaluate the Democratic Party’s ideology, a majority of Republicans (55%) give […]
Partisan Divides in Views of Many Countries – but Not North Korea
Republicans and Democrats express overwhelmingly negative views of North Korea, but they diverge in opinions of several other countries – including Mexico, Iran, Russia and several U.S. allies.
Trump Has Met the Public’s Modest Expectations for His Presidency
Survey Report Just prior to the 2016 election, the public had fairly low expectations for Donald Trump’s presidency. Majorities of Americans said that if Trump was elected, he would not be likely to improve the way government works, set a high moral standard for the presidency or achieve other goals. And for the most part, […]
As Midterms Near, Democrats Are More Politically Active Than Republicans
Across a range of political activities – from attending political rallies to donating to campaigns – voters who back Democratic candidates for Congress are reporting higher levels of political activity than GOP voters.
For Most Trump Voters, ‘Very Warm’ Feelings for Him Endured
In the wake of Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory, an overwhelming majority of those who said they had voted for him had “warm” feelings for him.
Growing Partisan Differences in Views of the FBI; Stark Divide Over ICE
A new survey of public attitudes toward federal agencies finds that partisan differences in views of the FBI have increased markedly over the past year. And Americans’ opinions about Immigration and Customs Enforcement are deeply polarized.