Americans differ over how important it is for political candidates they support to share their personal traits
66% of U.S. adults say it is extremely or very important that candidates share their views on political issues.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Politics
-
-
Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics
Americans’ views of politics and elected officials are unrelentingly negative, with little hope of improvement on the horizon. 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. By contrast, just 10% say they always or often feel hopeful about politics.
-
Majority of Americans say U.S. is one of the greatest countries in the world
The share of Americans who say the United States stands above all other nations in the world has declined modestly over the past four years.
-
Republicans view Reagan, Trump as best recent presidents
About four-in-ten Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (41%) say Reagan has done the best job as president over the past 40 years, compared with 37% who say Trump.
-
For Most U.S. Gun Owners, Protection Is the Main Reason They Own a Gun
Gun owners in the United States continue to cite protection far more than other factors, including hunting and sport shooting, as a major reason they own a gun. About half of Americans who don’t own a gun say they could never see themselves owning one (52%) while nearly as many could imagine themselves as gun owners in the future (47%).
-
Why Some Americans Do Not See Urgency on Climate Change
As the Earth’s temperature continues to rise, climate change remains a lower priority for some Americans, and a subset of the public rejects that it’s happening at all. To better understand the perspectives of those who see less urgency to address climate change, the Center conducted a series of in-depth interviews designed to provide deeper insight into the motivations and views of those most skeptical about climate change.
-
Majority of Americans prefer a community with big houses, even if local amenities are farther away
57% of Americans say they would prefer to live in a community where houses are larger and farther away from amenities — compared to 42% who say the opposite.
-
Little change in Americans’ views of Trump over the past year
63% of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of Donald Trump, while 35% view him favorably. A year ago, Trump’s rating stood at 60% unfavorable.
-
Republican Gains in 2022 Midterms Driven Mostly by Turnout Advantage
68% of U.S. adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election turned out to vote in the 2022 midterms. Former President Donald Trump’s voters turned out at a higher rate in 2022 (71%) than did President Joe Biden’s voters (67%).
-
How the GOP won the turnout battle and a narrow victory in last year’s midterms
A new analysis shows that relatively few people who voted in the 2018 midterms were persuaded to vote for a different party four years later.
