- The Democratic Party is increasingly seen as focusing on the right things while Republicans are seen as more focused on the wrong things.
- Among those who perceive the Republican Party as a threat, their top concerns are the party’s desire to ban abortions, their support for extremism and extreme groups like QAnon, and their support for political violence including the January 6th riot at the Capitol.
- Biden and Democrats are more trusted on a range of issues that Americans think are most important for government to handle and protect.
Americans Increasingly View Democrats as Focused on the Right Things; View of Republicans Remain Underwater
Since early August, the share of independents saying Democrats are focused on the right things has increased by a net 18 points (from net -30 to net -12); independents continue to see Republicans as focused on the wrong things by a two-to-one margin (net -28).
Biden and Democrats More Trusted on Rights and Freedoms, Parties Tied on Safety and Security
Majorities of Black, Hispanic, and AAPI Americans trust Democrats over Republicans on both protecting rights and freedoms and safety and security, while white Americans trust Republicans more.
Majorities See Each Party as Posing a Threat to Country, Though Republican Party Poses Greater One
Among independents, 86% say the Republican Party poses a threat to the country today while 74% say the same of the Democratic Party.
Threats Posed by the Republican Party Come in the Form of Abortion Bans, Extremism, and Political Violence
For independents who see the Republican Party as a threat, abortion bans (37%) and putting special interests ahead of the middle class (37%) are the biggest Republican threats.
Biden and Democrats More Trusted on Most of the Issues Important to Americans for Government to Handle
Of the issues most important to Americans, Democrats are more trusted on “freedom to vote” (net D+7), protection from “price gouging by big corporations” (net D+9), and “wages and benefits” (net D+4), while Republicans are slightly more trusted on crime (net R+3).
About The Study
Global Strategy Group conducted public opinion surveys among a sample of 1,001 registered voters from September 8-September 11, 2022. 96 additional interviews were conducted among Hispanic voters. 76 additional interviews were conducted among Asian American and Pacific Islander voters. 100 additional interviews were conducted among African American voters. 99 additional interviews were conducted among independent voters.
