Politics Gallup Topic

Larger majorities than in 2011 say Republicans (69%) and Democrats (60%) go too far in using inflammatory language to criticize their opponents. Although most Americans are united in rejecting political violence, a notable minority say it is "sometimes OK." President Donald Trump's job approval rating has slipped to a new second-term low point and is approaching his all-time low of 34%. Americans' ratings of the seriousness of crime nationally continue to be much more negative than their perceptions of crime at home. A Kettering Foundation/Gallup survey finds most Americans support political compromise, view multiculturalism as a strength and reject political violence. WASHINGTON, D.C.

— While most Americans say it is “never OK” to use violence to achieve a political goal, 16% say it is “sometimes OK.” Age is the strongest predictor of attitudes toward political violence, with young adults aged 18 to 29 more likely than other age groups to say that it is sometimes OK to use violence to... This attitude is also more prevalent among heavy social media users than those who use social media less frequently or not at all and among men more so than women. Differences in views by political affiliation and educational attainment are smaller, and no differences are observed based on income or other socioeconomic factors. These results are from the inaugural administration of the Kettering Foundation/Gallup Democracy for All Project, a five-year project designed to measure Americans’ views of democracy. Data are based on a multimodal (web and mail) survey of over 20,000 U.S.

adults, conducted July 7 to Aug. 25. Some attitudes toward democracy are associated with views on the use of political violence. People who agree that democracy is the best form of government are less likely than those who disagree to say political violence is sometimes OK. Perceptions of others’ commitment to democracy also matter. Americans who agree that most people in the U.S.

are committed to having a strong democracy are less likely to say political violence is sometimes OK, compared with those who disagree with this statement. WASHINGTON, D.C. — Eight in 10 U.S. adults agree on a variety of issues that reflect core aspects of U.S. democracy. These include that using violence to achieve political goals is never OK; that elected leaders should compromise to get things done; and that having a mix of races, religions and cultures benefits the nation.

Americans also express a desire to limit the political influence of wealthy individuals and businesses and believe there is a difference between facts and opinions. These findings are the first from the Kettering Foundation/Gallup Democracy for All Project and are based on a multimodal (web and mail) survey of over 20,000 U.S. adults, conducted July 7 to Aug. 25. This is a five-year project designed to measure Americans’ views of how well democracy serves the U.S. and Americans from a variety of different backgrounds.

The full report details how Americans largely agree that democracy is the best form of government but do not believe it is functioning well right now. As part of the survey, Americans were shown five pairs of contrasting perspectives on how democracy and U.S. society should function and were asked to choose which perspective comes closer to their view. Large majorities of all key subgroups of Americans reject violence, favor compromise and embrace a multicultural society. There are modest differences in some of these views by party, age and education. For example, Democrats, independents and college graduates are somewhat more likely than Republicans and non-college graduates to see multiculturalism as a strength.

Older Americans and Democrats are more likely than younger Americans and Republicans to endorse compromise. Age differences are even more pronounced when it comes to rejecting the use of political violence, with senior citizens most opposed and young adults the least. This relationship will be explored in more depth in an article to be released next week. Another question in the survey, asked on a five-point agree/disagree scale, finds that eight in 10 Americans strongly agree (39%) or agree (41%) that everyone, regardless of their views, has the right to free,... Just 5% disagree, and 15% are neutral. The 32% of Americans who follow political news very closely is down from the prior two readings but typical of years before a presidential election.

None of the major political events of recent years has altered where Americans place themselves on the ideological spectrum from liberal to conservative. Although the U.S. political party affiliation average for 2021 was similar to prior years, the country shifted from a nine-point Democratic preference early in the year to a five-point Republican advantage near the end. Americans are paying closer attention to political news this fall than is usual for a year in which there is no presidential election. Republicans maintained their election-year focus on the news, while Democrats shifted their gaze. Americans' ideological stance was about the same in 2020 as in 2019, with conservatives and moderates the leading groups, and slightly fewer identifying as liberal.

Healthcare retains its place as one of the higher-ranking issues voters say are influencing their vote this year. Sixty-nine percent of U.S. adults say they are more enthusiastic about voting than usual, up from 54% in April, with Democrats driving the increased enthusiasm. Americans are more likely to say they would back certain types of presidential candidates, such as a woman or Black adult, than others, such as a Muslim or socialist. But being older than 80 or having been charged with a felony are much bigger turnoffs for voters. Crime became an issue in the recent midterm elections, underscoring the importance of understanding what lies behind Americans' views of the issue.

Changes in economic reality and candidates' statements and positioning are less important to voters than their underlying ideological predispositions. From politics to the economy to social matters, keep up with how Americans respond to events shaping the country WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Next month’s transfer of power in the nation’s capital could reshape American views on politics, the economy and societal issues. Generational shifts and technology are also driving change. Follow these 20 Gallup trends in 2025 to see how Americans react to the new political landscape and how society continues to evolve.

Subscribe to Gallup’s news release alerts and Front Page newsletter to see updates as they are published. To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on X @Gallup. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. Explore the connection between global peace, wellbeing and health in this report based on 145,000+ interviews across 144 countries and areas. Understand American parents' thoughts on the postsecondary pathways they aspire to for their children – rather than only those they feel are within reach – as well as the barriers they face to these... Download the report.

Gallup's latest survey of Israel shows the conflict still dominates public perception, even though wellbeing levels have returned to pre-Oct. 7 levels. Ratings of U.S. leadership across NATO suggest America's image abroad was closer to "better" than "back" throughout Joe Biden's presidency. Globally, 23% of people experienced a lot of loneliness in 2023. Loneliness often accompanies other negative emotions, including stress and worry.

Ukrainians' support for the war with Russia remains strong heading into the second year of the conflict between the countries. Grappling with geopolitical challenges, NATO's performance is under scrutiny. Gallup found that residents of NATO countries are more likely to approve of NATO's performance than those not living in those countries. Oct. 21 (UPI) -- A new Gallup Poll released Tuesday indicates that neither major U.S. political party dominates in trust or favorability.

The latest results in Washington-based Gallup's annual governance poll conducted September 2-16 found that U.S. voters feel the Republican Party lost its edge in key areas it's typically known for as the shutdown in the Republican-controlled federal government lingers on for its 21st day. Republicans experienced a three-point dip to 40% in favorability by U.S. adults with Democrats at a current 37% down from 42%. According to Gallup, the weaker position by Republicans was mainly the result of fewer Americans than a year ago preferring the GOP for its specific roles. "Not because of increased confidence in the Democratic Party to handle them," it added.

Views that the federal government has too much power are now slightly higher than in previous years. Americans' ratings of six federal agencies have plunged, with only the U.S. Postal Service retaining majority-level support. Americans continue to prefer having leaders in Washington who compromise to get things done over those who stand firmly on principle. Over half of Americans say there is about the right amount of or too little government regulation of business. Satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S.

is up to 34%, driven by a record-high increase among Republicans.

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