Around one-in-five candidates for Congress or governor this year are veterans
21% of the roughly 1,000 candidates for U.S. Senate, House or state governor on the fall ballot claim some degree of military experience.
Lack of Preparedness Among Top Reactions Americans Have to Public Health Officials’ COVID-19 Response
Overall, 46% of Americans say the statement “public health officials were unprepared for the outbreak” describes their views extremely or very well, including similar shares of Republicans and Democrats.
Partisans tend to cite different ideas for what more the government should do for parents and children
Asked what more the government should do to support parents and children, Americans often mention forms of social or direct financial support.
Americans’ Views of Government: Decades of Distrust, Enduring Support for Its Role
65% say most political candidates run for office “to serve their own personal interests.”
Americans’ Trust in Scientists, Other Groups Declines
Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.
Increasing Public Criticism, Confusion Over COVID-19 Response in U.S.
Americans are increasingly critical of the response to COVID-19 from elected officeholders and public health officials. Positive ratings of public health officials, such as those at the CDC, have fallen 10 points since August. And 60% of U.S. adults say they’ve felt confused as a result of changes to recommendations on how to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Future of Digital Spaces and Their Role in Democracy
Many experts say public online spaces will significantly improve by 2035 if reformers, big technology firms, governments and activists tackle the problems created by misinformation, disinformation and toxic discourse. Others expect continuing troubles as digital tools and forums are used to exploit people’s frailties, stoke their rage and drive them apart.
How the political typology groups compare
Pew Research Center’s political typology sorts Americans into cohesive, like-minded groups based on their values, beliefs, and views about politics and the political system. Use this tool to compare the groups on some key topics and their demographics.
What People Around the World Like – and Dislike – About American Society and Politics
The U.S. is seen positively in advanced economies for its technology, entertainment, military and universities, but negatively for its health care system, discrimination and the state of its democracy.
Americans differ from people in other societies over some aspects of U.S. ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ power
While Americans see some aspects of U.S. power more positively than people elsewhere, they offer more negative views in other areas.
