Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology

Key Facts from Pew Research’s Political Typology

Our latest Political Typology survey sorts American voters into cohesive groups based on their attitudes and values and provides a field guide for the constantly changing political landscape. Here are some key facts and shareable findings about these groups and their views of the nation. 

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Who are the political typology groups?

Steadfast Conservatives: Generally critical of government, especially social safety net programs, but also critical of big business and immigrants. Most are very socially conservative.

Business Conservatives: Overall, critical of government regulation and social-welfare spending, but not of big business. For the most part, moderate to liberal on social issues, with positive views toward immigrants.

Young Outsiders: Tend to be distrustful of government programs and fiscally conservative, but very liberal on social issues and not very religious.

Hard-Pressed Skeptics: Generally distrustful of government, except for social safety net spending. On average, low-income, anti-immigrant compared with other groups.

Next Generation Left: Generally positive feelings about government, but less so for social programs. Tend to be business-oriented and individualistic.

Faith and Family Left: By and large, highly religious, socially conservative, but strongly support social safety net and government action more broadly.

Solid Liberals: Overall, highly supportive of social programs, immigrants and government generally; very skeptical of business and markets. Consistently liberal on social issues, from homosexuality to environmental protection.

America’s Political Spectrum

  • America’s political center is fractured into 4 groups that are as different from each other as from the left and right
  • Groups in America’s political middle are less partisan, less predictable, and less engaged in politics
  • There are three strongly partisan groups in the U.S. today – one left and two right – who make up 36% of the public
  • 10% of the public are political bystanders: a young, diverse group on the sidelines

The Parties’ Coalitions

  • “Solid Liberals” (17% of RVs) anchor the Democrats’ coalition, yet Dems must reach other groups
  • Main anchors of Republican base are “Steadfast Conservatives” and “Business Conservatives”–27% of registered voters
  • Both parties face formidable challenges in reaching beyond their bases to appeal to the middle of the electorate

The Groups in the Middle

  • “Young Outsiders” lean Republican, but diverge from GOP orthodoxy on social and other issues
  • Economically battered “Hard-Pressed Skeptics” supported Obama in 2012, but more divided today
  • “Next Generation Left” — young, affluent, liberal but skeptical about cost of social programs
  • Racially diverse “Faith and Family Left” lean heavily Democratic, but some uneasy with social change

Rifts on the Right

  • 73% of “Steadfast Conservatives” see immigrants as a burden; just 21% of “Business Conservatives” agree
  • Gap between “Business Conservatives” and “Steadfast Conservatives” on whether Wall St. helps or hurts economy
  • “Steadfast Conservatives” deeply skeptical of US global involvement; “Business Conservatives” favor an active US role

Rifts on the Left

  • Just 37% of “Faith and Family Left” support same-sex marriage, unlike “Solid Liberals” (89%)
  • “Solid Liberals” more supportive of gov’t spending for poor than “Next Generation Left”
  • 91% of “Faith and Family Left” say belief in God is necessary to be moral compared with 11% of “Solid Liberals”

Views of the Nation

  • 76% of “Steadfast Conservatives” say the U.S.’s best years are behind us compared with 49% of overall public
  • “Solid Liberals” (70%) and the “Next Generation Left” (65%) say the best is yet to come for the U.S.
  • “Steadfast Conservatives” say reliance on principles key to U.S. success; “Solid Liberals” say it’s ability to change
  • Majorities of all typology groups, especially conservative groups, express low levels of trust in government
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