report | Aug 23, 2012

A Closer Look at the Parties in 2012

As the 2012 party conventions approach, the Democratic Party continues to maintain an advantage in party identification among voters, but its lead is much smaller than it was in 2008. In more than 13,000 interviews conducted so far in 2012, 35% of registered voters identify with the Democratic Party, 28% with the Republican Party and […]

report | Jul 31, 2012

Two-Thirds of Democrats Now Support Gay Marriage

Reports that the Democratic Party may add support for gay marriage to its party platform are in keeping with a significant shift of opinion on this issue among Democrats nationwide. A new report finds that support for same-sex marriage among Democrats has jumped from 50% in 2008 to 65% today.

report | Jul 12, 2012

Obama Holds Lead; Romney Trails on Most Issues

Overview Despite the stagnant economy and broad dissatisfaction with national conditions, Barack Obama holds a significant lead over Mitt Romney. Currently, Obama is favored by a 50% to 43% margin among registered voters nationwide. Obama has led by at least a slim margin in every poll this year, and there is no clear trend in […]

report | Jun 7, 2012

Americans’ Religious Values

The gap in religious values between Republicans and Democrats has widened over the past 25 years, according to the Pew Research Center’s American Values Survey.

report | Jun 4, 2012

Partisan Polarization Surges in Bush, Obama Years

Overview As Americans head to the polls this November, their values and basic beliefs are more polarized along partisan lines than at any point in the past 25 years. Unlike in 1987, when this series of surveys began, the values gap between Republicans and Democrats is now greater than gender, age, race or class divides. […]

report | Apr 23, 2012

How the Media Covered the 2012 Primary Campaign

As the 2012 presidential race shifts from the GOP primary battle to the general election matchup between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, a new PEJ study reveals what the public has been told about the two candidates by the media.  It also finds that Mitt Romney emerged as the winner of the media primary weeks before Rick Santorum dropped out.

report | Apr 11, 2012

What the Public Knows about the Political Parties

Overview Most Americans can correctly identify the relative positions of the Republican and Democratic parties on the major issues of the day. But a review of what Americans know about the political parties shows that the public is better informed about the partisan affiliations of two popular recent presidents – Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton […]

report | Apr 9, 2012

74% of Republicans Say Romney ’Definitely’ the Nominee

Overview Following primary victories in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia last Tuesday, Mitt Romney is clearly seen as the inevitable GOP nominee, and Republicans now see continued primaries as bad for the party. In the latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, conducted April 5-8, 2012, […]

short reads | Apr 9, 2012

More Women Than Men Identify with Democratic Party

Just over half (52%) of women identify with the Democratic Party or lean Democratic, continuing a longstanding gender gap; in comparison, 43% of men identify with the Democrats.

report | Apr 4, 2012

Religion and the 2012 Republican Primaries: Maryland and Wisconsin

In the Maryland and Wisconsin primaries, Romney and Santorum ran neck and neck among white born-again/evangelical voters, while Romney was the clear favorite of non-evangelical voters. Romney was also victorious among Wisconsin voters who attend religious services only occasionally and those who attach little importance to having a candidate who shares their religious beliefs.

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