Weekly Roundup
The latest findings from Pew Research Center · Subscribe ↗
A First Look at Polling Performance in 2026
The most common question pollsters hear around election time is “Who’s going to win?” A close second in 2026 was “Are the polls going to be wrong again?” As final vote tallies come in, it’s clear that preelection polls captured the direction of this year’s election while generally understating the size of Democratic Party’s advantage.
- Read more about polls in: Key statewide races | House elections
- What might be behind the understatement of Democratic candidates?
Americans’ Trust in Information From News Organizations Has Risen in the Past Year
Americans across party lines and age groups are more likely than they were a year ago to say they trust information from national and local news organizations. Trust in local news remains highest, while far fewer people trust information from social media.
Majority of Americans Say Social Media Companies, News Outlets Have Too Much Power in Politics
About seven-in-ten Americans (69%) say social media companies have too much power and influence in politics today, including roughly equal shares of Republicans and Democrats. A smaller majority (55%) say the same about U.S. news organizations, with Republicans far more likely to hold this view.
LGBTQ Americans Stand Out for Being Part of Online Communities, Finding Value in Them
LGBTQ Americans are more likely than those who aren’t LGBTQ to say they are part of an online community (49% vs. 35%). Around three-quarters of LBGTQ adults who visit online communities say they do this to feel accepted, compared with around half of other adults.
Decoded: How Many People in the U.S. Are Middle Eastern or North African?
From our research
The number of people in the U.S. who identify as Middle Eastern or North African by ancestry.
The estimated size of the MENA population increases to 5.2 million when considering other characteristics, like birthplace, language and family relationships.
