While 47% of Republicans agree with the prediction – that a group of patriotic citizens will usurp government authorities and run the country themselves – just 9% of Democrats could say the same.
The poll, which surveyed 1,753 registered U.S. voters from June 4 to June 23, found a wide set of disparities between Republicans and Democrats on a number of principles.
For example, 82% of Republicans agreed that it's "hard to trust the results of elections when so many people will vote for anyone who offers a handout," but only 15% of Democrats felt the same way. When it comes to future elections, 76% of Democrats expressed confidence in the security of the 2022 elections, while just 28% of Republicans were on the same page.
There were also significant differences between political parties on certain hot-button issues.
For instance, the poll found that less than 30% of Republicans feel that "dealing with global climate change" is somewhat or very important. With Democrats, this number is just north of 90%.
"Changing the nation's gun laws," meanwhile, saw support from about 20% of Republicans, but more than 80% of Democrats felt it was a priority.
Finally, about 40% of Republicans somewhat or strongly supported the need for "addressing race relations in this country, while 90% of Democrats felt the same.
It should be noted that there was a high level of agreement on certain issues as well.
For example, about the same number of Democrats and Republicans (85%) supported reducing the influence of lobbyists in Congress. Both parties were also aligned on making Medicare and Social Security more "financially sound," with about 90% of voters in both groups on board.
Other issues which saw a bipartisan consensus included combating drug addiction, tackling rising healthcare costs, improving employment, improving the election system, and revamping the nation's infrastructure.
In recent years, there has been a strong sense amongst scholars and pundits that the U.S. is more politically polarized than it has ever been – a perception that runs counter to the poll's findings on a number of issues. Some scholars have argued that the recent rise of the "culture war" – which Republicans have repeatedly used to cast a political valence on things that are otherwise benign – has contributed to a growing sense that the U.S. is more divided than ever.
