Study Finds U.S. Political Middle Larger Than Expected

Political polarization in the United States is not as severe as many citizens believe.

In January, Shanna Berry and Alma Ong were asked about the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Berry, a retired hairdresser and Air Force veteran who supports President Trump, said the end of the regime was necessary. She noted some uncertainty about the legalities but acknowledged the strong interest in Venezuelan oil. Ong, a Buddhist and liberal, was surprised by Berry's assessment. She said she agreed with everything Berry stated. Their exchange illustrates a gap between perceived and actual political alignment.

Kristin Laurin, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, noted that the pair's interaction matches existing research. She explained that people often avoid political discussions to prevent conflict. This silence leads individuals to overestimate their differences. Laurin pointed out that politicians and social media amplify outrage to drive engagement. This dynamic causes perceived polarization to outstrip actual division. She said the two friends made wrong assumptions about each other's beliefs.

The James Comey indictment in April provides another example of cross-partisan consensus. Former FBI Director Comey was charged with making a death threat via a photo of seashells. Both Democrats and many conservatives opposed the move. Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor at George Washington University Law School, called the situation absurd. Stan Fletcher, a Trump voter and restaurateur, argued that no one should be indicted for their opinion. He believes 95% of America falls under a bell curve of moderates. He hears only the extremes on both sides.

Pew Research Center data supports the idea of a large political middle. The organization classifies Americans into nine groups based on values. One group, the Pragmatic and Polite Right, includes 56% of Republicans or Republican-leaning individuals and 37% of Democrats or Democratic-leaning individuals. This group values civility and holds conservative economic views. Jocelyn Kiley, who leads politics research at Pew, said looking beneath party labels reveals significant overlap. The messy middle makes up about 60% of the electorate. The ideological right, including the No Apologies Right and Faith First Conservatives, accounts for just 21% of the population.

Kiley stated that the country is highly polarized but contains considerable nuance. The research suggests that while political division is real, Americans agree on more issues than they think. The data points to a diverse political landscape with substantial overlap between parties.

Pew offers a quiz for individuals to identify their specific political group.