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.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Politics
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Response rates in telephone surveys have resumed their decline
Response rates to telephone public opinion polls conducted by Pew Research Center have resumed their decline, to 7% in 2017 and 6% in 2018.
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Fewer Americans view deficit reduction as a top priority as the nation’s red ink increases
About half of Americans say reducing the budget deficit should be a top policy priority this year for the president and Congress.
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For the fifth time in a row, the new Congress is the most racially and ethnically diverse ever
More than one-in-five voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are racial or ethnic minorities.
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More Republicans say stricter environmental regulations are ‘worth the cost’
Since 2017, the share of Republicans who take a positive view of stricter environmental laws has increased, from 36% then to 45% today.
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Republicans and Democrats have grown further apart on what the nation’s top priorities should be
Partisans have moved apart not just in political values and approaches to addressing issues, but also on the issues they identify as top priorities.
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State of the Union 2019: How Americans see major national issues
Here is a look at public opinion on important issues facing the United States, from Americans’ views of trade to the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
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Majority of Americans continue to say immigrants strengthen the U.S.
The American public’s views of the impact immigrants have on the country remain largely positive – and deeply partisan.
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Partisans agree political leaders should be honest and ethical, disagree whether Trump fits the bill
While partisans agree that political leaders should be honest and ethical, they differ over whether particular leaders display these traits.
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Republicans, Democrats both see less reason for optimism in 2019 than they did in 2018
Americans have mixed expectations for 2019. As has been the case since Trump’s election, Republicans are more optimistic than Democrats.
