Many Americans Support ‘Alternatives’ to Democracy, See Violence as Legitimate Political Tool: Poll

A new survey from the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics suggests that President Biden is leading President Trump in the 2024 presidential contest among those who consider themselves moderates, and that significant minorities of both Republicans and Democrats are open to exploring alternatives to democracy.The survey asked questions about voters’ feelings about the future of democracy in America, whether states should secede from the union, and the use of violence to achieve political ends.On the future of democracy, 31 percent of those intending to vote for Mr. Trump and 24 percent of those backing Mr. Biden agreed with the statement that democracy “is no longer a viable system, and America should explore alternative forms of government to ensure stability and progress.”Voters intending to back Mr. Trump were also more likely to support red or blue states “seceding from the union to form their own separate country,” with 41 percent of those in the former president’s camp and 30 percent backing Mr. Biden expressing that sentiment.Supporters of Mr. Biden were more likely, though, to say those who support Republicans and their ideologies “have become so extreme in what they want that it is acceptable to use violence to stop them from achieving their goals,” with 41 percent of supporters of Mr. Biden and 38 percent for Mr. Trump agreeing with that statement.On the other hand, 31 percent of Mr. Trump’s supporters said they were more likely to agree with the statement that the “ends justify the means, and any action taken by my preferred political party is acceptable if it achieves our goals.” Some 21 percent of supporters of Mr. Biden agreed with that statement.Although the poll did not specifically ask respondents whether they believe that supporters of the other candidate had already participated in violence to achieve political ends, the managing editor at Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the Center for Politics, Kyle Kondik, tells the Sun, “I think it is possible that people on both sides view the other side as already engaged in political violence.”“I do think it’s fair to note former President Trump was very involved in riling up the crowd that ended up storming the Capitol on January 6, and I don’t think there’s an equivalent on the Democratic side in that regard,” Mr. Kondik adds. One issue where the vast majority of Americans could reach a consensus is in acknowledgment of a growing wealth gap between the wealthiest and poorest Americans.A full 81 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that “over the past 40 years, the rich in America have gotten much wealthier while most Americans have seen much less growth in their share of America’s wealth.” Another 12 percent were not sure of the veracity of the statement. Seven percent thought that the statement was false.Among those who thought the statement was true, most, or 57 percent, intend to vote for Mr. Biden. Mr. Trump, though, enjoyed the majority of support among those unsure on the truth of the statement, 66 percent, and those who thought it was false, 78 percent.In the presidential horse race, the survey has Mr. Biden leading Mr. Trump by 52 percent to 48 percent, even though the two are statistically tied among independents.Among self-identified “moderates,” Mr. Biden maintains a significant lead. Among those who consider themselves economic moderates, Mr. Biden leads Mr. Trump 60 percent to 40 percent. Among those who consider themselves social moderates, Mr. Biden leads 54 percent to 45 percent.Mr. Biden also drew more support from self-identified “conservatives” than Mr. Trump drew from self-identified “progressives,” with 24 percent of economic conservatives and 22 percent of social conservatives saying they intend to vote for Mr. Biden, and 20 percent of economic progressives and 18 percent of social progressives saying they intend to vote for Mr. Trump.“Democrats are a little more reliant on winning people who consider themselves moderate than Republicans just because there are more people who consider themselves conservative compared to liberal,” Mr. Kondik says. “Moderates are crucial in any election.”Mr. Kondik adds that “there will be a key share of voters who hold an unfavorable view of both candidates and who will be cross-pressured in the election,” noting that this study was “about broader political attitudes than the horse race” but reflects a “close and competitive presidential race next year.”In RealClearPolitics’s average of polling, Messrs. Trump and Biden are virtually tied in general election polling at 44.1 percent and 43.7 percent support, respectively. In terms of approval, Mr. Biden had a net negative 10-point approval rating, and Mr. Trump had a net negative 14-point approval rating.The survey of 2,008 registered voters was conducted between August 25 and September 11 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 points.

Many Americans Support ‘Alternatives’ to Democracy, See Violence as Legitimate Political Tool: Poll

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