Voters are just as angry as in 2016

Voters this fall aren’t just sharply polarized; they’re also very angry — whether they’re Democrats, Republicans or even independents. In partnership with YouGov, Penn State’s McCourtney Institute of Democracy has been polling Americans to assess the overall mood of the nation. … Remarkably, our poll has found consistently high levels […] Read more »

Evaluating Enthusiasm With Less Than a Month to Go

Back in 2016, lots of people, myself included, thought that Trump’s “all-base-all-the-time” strategy was ill-conceived. Sure, it would motivate his supporters, but it would also juice up turnout by Democrats and turn off critical swing/independent voters. In the end, however, Trump’s one-sided intensity focus worked because there was not an […] Read more »

Republicans Abandon Vulnerable Lawmakers, Striving to Keep House

… As they brace for losses in the House of Representatives, Republican Party leaders are racing to reinforce their candidates in about two-dozen districts, trying to create a barricade around their imperiled majority. … Republicans steering the House effort, who insisted on anonymity to discuss party strategy, believe that by […] Read more »

Only 1 in 3 Young People Say They’re Certain to Vote in Midterms

A new PRRI/The Atlantic survey on civic engagement finds stark gaps between young and older Americans’ attitudes towards the utility of voting and other methods of civic engagement. The survey, the second in a series of reports assessing challenges to America’s democratic institutions and practices from PRRI and The Atlantic, […] Read more »