A defining characteristic of the 2024 presidential race is that voters overall have little confidence in either candidate across a range of key traits, including fitness for office, personal ethics and respect for democratic values. Some 49% of registered voters say that, if given the chance, they would replace both candidates on the ballot.
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Federal statistics show dramatic declines in U.S. violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s.
Ahead of World Press Freedom Day, 73% of U.S. adults say the freedom of the press is extremely or very important to the well-being of society.
Most say Francis represents change in the church. And many say the church should allow priests to marry and let Catholics use birth control.
Americans view their state and local governments far more positively than the federal government in Washington.
59% of public K-12 teachers say they are at least somewhat worried about the possibility of a shooting ever happening at their school.
88% of Americans say marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use. Just 11% say the drug should not be legal in any form.
A majority of those who say it’s headed in the wrong direction say a major reason is that schools are not spending enough time on core academic subjects.
Public K-12 teachers express low job satisfaction and few are optimistic about the future of U.S. education.
40% of U.S. adults say there’s a lot of discrimination against Jews in society, and 44% say there’s a lot of discrimination against Muslims.
33% of adults under 30 say their sympathies lie either entirely or mostly with the Palestinian people, while 14% say their sympathies lie with the Israeli people.
Amid shifts in demographics and partisan allegiances, registered voters are now evenly split between the Democratic Party and the GOP.
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.
Pew Research Center’s political typology provides a roadmap to today’s fractured political landscape. It organizes the public into nine distinct groups, based on an analysis of their attitudes and values. Even in a polarized era, the 2021 survey reveals deep divisions in both partisan coalitions.
Partisanship remains the strongest factor dividing the American public. Yet there are substantial divisions within both parties on fundamental political values, views of current issues and the severity of the problems facing the nation.
Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center
