Nearly half of Americans think members of the opposing political party are ‘evil’: poll

Nearly half of eligible voters successful nan US judge that those successful nan opposing governmental statement are “downright evil,” according to a caller canvass conducted by Johns Hopkins University.

The country’s divisiveness was intelligibly illustrated by nan survey, which was conducted twice, first from July 26 to July 30 — specified weeks aft nan first assassination effort connected erstwhile President Donald Trump — and nan 2nd from Sept. 6 to Sept. 18 by nan university’s SNF Agora Institute.

Roughly 2,000 respondents were divided up into 5 categories for nan canvass — Republicans who judge Donald Trump won nan 2020 election, Republicans who judge that Joe Biden won nan 2020 election, Democrats, Independents, and past everyone altogether.

Of nan Republicans who judge that Trump won successful 2020, three-quarters deliberation that Democrats are evil.

On nan different end, half of Democrats considered Republicans evil, according to nan study results.

The canvass creators said those divisive beliefs are vulnerable for nan country’s democracy.

“Vilifying our governmental opponents is simply a awesome that we see them to beryllium enemies alternatively of opponents,” said Lilliana Mason, a Johns Hopkins University governmental subject professor who studies governmental unit and polarization.

“The activity of governing a populist requires discuss and communal respect. These sentiments make that respect astir impossible, which threatens nan wellness of democracy.”

Respondents for nan canvass answered questions astir their statement affiliations, governmental identities, nan 2020 predetermination results, wherever they get their information, and what they deliberation astir group from different parties. The published findings are based connected nan responses of 2,000 respondents who create a demographically and politically typical sample of nan US electorate, nan pollsters said.

Mason and Scott Warren, 2 SNF Agora fellows, co-led nan task and created nan canvass successful an effort to find wherever precisely nan country’s voting assemblage is astatine starring up to nan 2024 statesmanlike election, nan Johns Hopkins University Hub reported.

The accusation gathered from nan 2 surveys indicates a stark, and increasing, disagreement betwixt Republicans known arsenic “election deniers” and nan remainder of nan voting body, particularly erstwhile concerning issues based connected gender and race, nan researchers said.

“2020 predetermination denialism has go an personality rumor arsenic overmuch arsenic a substantive argumentation measure,” Warren said.

“Republicans who do judge successful nan results of nan 2020 predetermination person strikingly pro-democracy viewpoints and whitethorn consciousness that they don’t person a governmental location astatine this infinitesimal successful time. Figuring retired really to see them successful our populist is captious astatine this moment.”

The information suggests that Republican predetermination deniers are little apt to deliberation a female should beryllium president, pinch 28% believing women are meant to return attraction of a location alternatively than activity a job.

More than 80% of predetermination deniers besides powerfully aliases somewhat agreed that achromatic Americans should push past prejudices “without typical favors” for illustration nan “Irish, Italian, and Jewish ethnicities” did passim nan 20th century.

Election deniers and Republicans who judge Biden won successful 2020 polled that they were astir motivated to ballot by nan authorities of nan economy, immigration, and crime. Meanwhile, Democrats said that they prioritized abortion, nan economy, and democracy, according to nan poll.

Independents had a operation — listing nan economy, immigration, and abortion arsenic nan apical issues impacting their vote.

A 3rd information of polling is group to return spot anterior to nan November wide predetermination adjacent week.