Changing Partisan Coalitions in a Politically Divided Nation
Amid shifts in demographics and partisan allegiances, registered voters are now evenly split between the Democratic Party and the GOP.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Political Parties & Polarization
10 facts about Democrats in the U.S.
More than four-in-ten Democratic voters (44%) are Hispanic, Black, Asian, another race or multiracial, up from 23% in 1996.
10 facts about Republicans in the U.S.
About eight-in-ten Republican voters (79%) are non-Hispanic White, down from 93% nearly two decades ago.
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Can Americans be optimistic about their democracy?
Americans’ grim political mood and desire for change show up across our surveys. But despite divisions, there are hopeful signs for the future.
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How U.S. Public Opinion Has Changed in 20 Years of Our Surveys
We took a closer look at how Americans’ views and experiences have evolved on a variety of topics over the last 20 years.
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In Tied Presidential Race, Harris and Trump Have Contrasting Strengths, Weaknesses
Trump leads on the economy; Harris, on abortion and several personal traits. And supporters of the candidates have different views of what governing actions would be acceptable.
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From ‘traditional’ to ‘open-minded,’ how Americans describe themselves
Roughly six-in-ten Republicans (58%) describe themselves as traditional, but just 19% of Democrats say the same.
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Third-party and independent candidates for president often fall short of early polling numbers
Given the number of third-party and independent candidates in the 2024, we examined how such candidates fared in past elections.
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Americans see little bipartisan common ground, but more on foreign policy than on abortion, guns
Across six issue areas, the share of adults who say there is at least some common ground between the parties has declined by an average of 12 points since 2023.
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About 1 in 4 Americans have unfavorable views of both Biden and Trump
Unfavorable views of both Trump and Biden are more common among young adults and those who “lean” to a party.
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How Republicans view climate change and energy issues
Just 12% of Republicans and Republican leaners say dealing with climate change should be a top priority for the president and Congress.
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Most Americans continue to say their side in politics is losing more often than it is winning
The share of adults who say their side is losing more often than winning is up 15 percentage points since early 2020.
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Most Americans say elected officials should avoid heated or aggressive speech
Seven-in-ten Americans say elected officials should avoid heated or aggressive language because it could encourage some people to take violent action.
