By definition, a political pollster is not a “normal” or “average” person. Political pollsters, like most political creatures, are usually deeply embedded in the divisive partisan atmosphere. We take in all the information, and then we try to design questions to probe the “normal” people about this atmosphere, of which they may only be tangentially aware.
Public polls have been asking more questions about so-called culture-war issues—particularly as red state and local governments pass legislation on abortion, transgender medical care, and what children learn about race and gender. I’m not sure we’re learning much from some of these questions, though, because the questions are most often framed in the language of the debate among political creatures rather than what “normal” people experience. CONTINUED
Natalie Jackson, National Journal
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