Americans say they can find common ground with others, but underlying political divisions remain

Washington, DC, October 20, 2020 – The latest Newsy/Ipsos poll finds that most Americans say they can find common ground with people who have different views, but a majority also acknowledge that most of their family and friends share the same political beliefs. Attempts to find common ground only go so far, though, as fewer than half of Republicans and Democrats alike say they generally like most members of the opposite party.

Detailed Findings

Even though most Americans believe they can find common ground with others who have different views, a majority acknowledges that they mostly socialize within a political bubble.

• Eighty-four percent of Americans agree that they can find common ground with people who have different views, including 87% of Republicans, 83% of Democrats and 86% of Independents.
• Moreover, a majority (56%) disagree that “there is no common ground among the American people,” though Republicans are more likely than Democrats to feel this way (61% and 52%, respectively).
• Sixty percent of Americans acknowledge that most of their close friends and family share the same political beliefs as them.
• Independents (43%) are less likely to agree with this than Democrats or Republicans (64% each). Those who have personally cut someone out of their life because of political views (17% of Americans) are among the most likely to agree with this (71%).

While almost all are open to hearing the opinions of other people, in theory, less than a quarter of Republicans and Democrats view the opposite political party as being open to this.

• Eighty-nine percent of Americans say they open to hearing the opinions of other people, regardless of their political identification.
• However, few partisans believe that is true among those on the other side of the aisle. Just 24% of Republicans say Democrats are open to hearing the opinions of others, and even less Democrats (19%) say the same about Republicans.
• Adding to this, a plurality of Republicans (52%) and Democrats (59%) disagree that they generally like people of the opposite political party.
• More than one in four Americans say they avoid people who have different political beliefs than them, including a majority of people who have personally cut someone out of their life because of political views.

Personally knowing members of the other party makes you more likely to believe in common ground.

• Around forty percent of Americans get most of their information about the beliefs of Democrats (43%) and Republicans (42%) from news media, including social media, television, and radio.
• Just a quarter say they get most of their information from personally knowing Democrats or Republicans (both 23%). Around one in five say they do not really have a good way to understand the beliefs of Democrats (18%) or Republicans (19%).
• Those who get their information from personal relationships are significantly more likely than those who say they do not have a good way to understand the beliefs of Democrats or Republicans to disagree that there is no common ground among the American people (65% vs. 48%).

Watch the reporting from Newsy here. 

About the Study   

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between September 3-4, 2020, on behalf of Newsy. For this survey, a sample of 2,009 adults age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 832 Republicans, 840 Democrats, and 186 Independents.

The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel (see link below for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link below for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the U.S. Population using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2018 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Posthoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education.

Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=2,009, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/4.0 percentage points).

The poll also has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for Republicans, plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for Democrats, and plus or minus 8.2 percentage points for Independents.

For more information on this news release, please contact:     

Mallory Newall 
Director, US   
Public Affairs   
+1 202 420-2014   
[email protected]     

Kate Silverstein 
Media Relations Specialist, US   
Public Affairs   
+1 718 755-8829
[email protected] 

About Ipsos   

Ipsos is the world’s third largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.   

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.   

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).    ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP www.ipsos.com