Survey Finds Americans Divided on Core Values Days Before the Midterms

A new poll is highlighting the divisive nature of today's political landscape. With just one week until the crucial November midterms, Americans are split deeply along party lines when it comes to what they believe should be the top value of the nation. Here is a look at what the poll revealed.

Americans Sharply Divided on Common Values

A national survey conducted by the Gallup/With Honor organization is putting a spotlight on how divided the nation is heading into the midterm elections. Republicans identified patriotism as the value that the U.S. needs most. Conversely, Democrats ranked patriotism dead last from a list of 12 options. Democrats said that the country needs equality most, while Republicans ranked this value next to last. Those who identified as independent voters chose honesty as the most important value.

The parties were largely in agreement when asked if the fundamental values of the U.S. were shared across all political ideologies. These values included traits such as freedom and fairness.

Rye Barcott, CEO and co-founder of With Honor, noted that respondents on both sides of the aisle "view the other side as an enemy." Barcott cautioned that "It's a much more difficult place to start to bring some trust" when there is so much distrust.

While the survey was conducted in May, the results were just released on October 25. A total of 3,199 American adults were polled. Survey organizers note that there is a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.

With Honor is a nonpartisan group that mobilizes and supports military veterans running for political office. The organization also aims to encourage bipartisan cooperation in Congress. The survey findings amplify the challenges that the group faces when carrying out its mission.

Almost one in four of the respondents said that most Americans do not share any of the 12 core values identified by the survey organizers. However, almost 8 in 10 believe that it is more important to respect that others may have different values than everyone shares the same ones. Ellyn Maese, a Gallup researcher who worked on the project, expressed that "Respecting one another's values is kind of part of the deal," noting that this is "part of a pluralistic society."

About three-quarters of the respondents said that while at least one value was shared by all Americans regardless of their political preference, there was no widespread agreement on what that value should be. The most frequently cited value was freedom, noted by 38% of the respondents. Humility was chosen least often, coming in at just 10%.

Politics Becoming Increasingly Divided

The results are not a surprise to anyone who has been following politics in recent years. Several studies have demonstrated that Americans tend to see those with different political views as lacking in basic principles. What is most startling is that a growing number of Americans now view the other side as being a threat to democracy.

The January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol triggered much of this distrust on both sides of the political spectrum. While many supporters of the Trump administration believe that the 2020 presidential election results were illegitimate due to voter fraud, opponents of the president believe that the White House is weaponizing their political power.

Regardless of where you land on this spectrum, both parties believe that the other is becoming increasingly immoral. A Pew Research Center poll found that the number of Republicans describing Democrats as more immoral jumped from 47% in 2016 to 72% in 2022. The negative view of Republicans by Democrats increased from 35% to 63% during that same time period.

"We are constantly navigating keeping together trust across party lines on issues that matter, especially national security," said Barcott. The Marine veteran noted that "It's hard, especially when a lot of the incentives are not to work across party lines."

The May Gallup poll also identified some generational differences. For instance, 28% of those aged 40 and older said that none of the values were shared by most Americans. This is a significantly more pessimistic view than those under the age of 40. Only 18% of the younger demographic said that there were no shared values.

The Baby Boomers were more likely to identify kindness as a shared value across the political spectrum, with 33% of those 65 and older coming in with this more positive viewpoint. This compares to just 21% of those under the age of 40 who believe all Americans value kindness.

Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what's next.