Political Polarization

Publications

reportMar 14, 2019

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.
short readsFeb 5, 2019

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.
short readsNov 29, 2018

In midterm voting decisions, policies took a back seat to partisanship

Partisan loyalty and dislike of the opposing party and its candidates were major factors for voters’ choices in this month’s midterms.
reportSep 13, 2018

Republicans, Democrats See Opposing Party as More Ideological Than Their Own

Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to view the Democratic Party as very liberal. And the pattern is similar, though less pronounced, in views of the GOP’s ideology: More Democrats than Republicans see the Republican Party as very conservative. When asked to evaluate the Democratic Party’s ideology, a majority of Republicans (55%) give […]
featureOct 20, 2017

The shift in the American public’s political values

Interactive chart that illustrates the shift in the American public’s political values from 1994-2017, using a scale of 10 questions asked together on seven Pew Research Center surveys.
reportJun 22, 2016

Partisanship and Political Animosity in 2016

The 2016 campaign is unfolding against a backdrop of intense partisan division and animosity. Partisans’ views of the opposing party are now more negative than at any point in nearly a quarter of a century.