---
title: "Expect Better Relations Between Republicans and Democrats"
description: "Only about one-in-five Americans expect relations between Republicans and Democrats to improve in the coming year."
date: "2010-12-03"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2010/12/03/expect-better-relations-between-republicans-and-democrats/"
---

# Expect Better Relations Between Republicans and Democrats

There is little optimism that, in the wake of the election, relations between the two parties will improve. Just 22% of Americans who voted in November expect relations between Republicans and Democrats to get better in the coming year, 28% say they will get worse, while 48% say they will stay about the same as they are now. Two years ago, after the 2008 presidential election, 37% of voters expected partisan relations to improve and just 18% thought they would get worse. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/1798/poll-less-enthusiasm-gop-2010-victory-policy-more-negative-campaign-no-compromise)