Poll shows growing fear of political violence in America

A Survey USA poll finds voters are deeply pessimistic about American democracy and some are worried the climate could lead to violence.
Posted 10/6/2023, 10:11:31 PM Updated 10/7/2023, 1:00:37 PM

CONFERENCE TODAY HE IS OPEN TO

WORKING WITH WHOEVER GETS THE

JOB. NEW NATIONAL POLLING BY

SURVEY USA SHOWS VOTERS ACROSS

THE COUNTRY ARE DEEPLY

PESSIMISTIC ABOUT OUR CURRENT

POLITICAL SYSTEM AND ABOUT

VOTERS ABILITY TO KEEP THE

PACE. WRAL. CAPITOL BUREAU

CHIEF LAURA LESLIE DUG INTO

THOSE NUMBERS FOR US.

>> SURVEY USA HAS MORE THAN

2700 REGISTERED VOTERS ALL

ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS WEEK

ABOUT THEIR EXPECTATIONS FOR

THE 2024 ELECTION. THE RESULTS

WERE EYE OPENING TO SAY THE

LEAST. MOST SAY AMERICAN

DEMOCRACY IS IN TROUBLE.

AND MANY SEE VIOLENCE IN THE

FUTURE.

>> VOTERS CLEARLY HAVEN'T

FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE ATTEMPTED

INSURRECTION OF JANUARY 6 AND

NEARLY HALF THINK WE'LL SEE

SOMETHING LIKE IT AGAIN

NEXT YEAR. 46% OF RESPONDENTS

THINK SERIOUS VIOLENCE IS VERY

LIKELY OR SOMEWHAT LIKELY AFTER

THE 2024 ELECTIONS. AND IT

ISN'T JUST A PARTISAN CONCERN.

53% OF DEMOCRATS THINK SO.

45 1% OF INDEPENDENTS AND 42%

OF REPUBLICANS, A SUBSTANTIAL

NUMBER THINK THE VIOLENCE COULD

TURN INTO A

CIVIL WAR. 27%. THAT'S ONE IN

4 REGISTERED VOTERS SAID CIVIL

WAR IS VERY OR SOMEWHAT LIKELY

AFTER THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION. AND AGAIN, THOSE

CONCERNS CARRIED ACROSS THE

POLITICAL SPECTRUM WITH 29%

OF REPUBLICANS. AND 26% OF

DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS.

MEREDITH COLLEGE, POLITICAL

SCIENTIST DAVID MCLENNAN SAYS

THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT SOMETHING

YOU'D EXPECT TO SEE IN THE

U.S.. WE'RE ALSO SEEING.

>> PEOPLE WOULD BE POLITICIANS

OR PEOPLE AND CERTAIN MEDIA

OUTLETS REALLY START TALKING

ABOUT VIOLENCE AND YOU KNOW,

EVEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THE

RIGHT HAVE CONSISTENTLY USED TO

CIVIL WAR TO TALK ABOUT WHAT

NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND SO I THINK

WHAT IT IS A REFLECTION OF THE

CULTURE.

>> EVEN THOSE WHO DON'T EXPECT

OUR DEMOCRACY IS SHAKY. 84%

OF REGISTERED VOTERS SAID

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY ISN'T

SERIOUS OR VERY SERIOUS TROUBLE

THAT INCLUDES 9 OUT OF 10

REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS

AND 3 QUARTERS OF ALL

DEMOCRATS. MCLENNAN SAYS VOTERS

WHO THINK DEMOCRACY IS IN

TROUBLE ARE LIKELY TO DOUBT

INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE ELECTION

PROCESS.

>> IT LOOKS BAD FOR 2024 IN

TERMS OF WHATEVER SIDE WINS

THE PRESIDENCY OR SURE. LOOKING

AT.

IF THAT'S NOT YOUR CANDIDATE,

YOU'RE GOING TO HELP THE

OUTCOME. OUR POLLSTERS ALSO

ASKED RESPONDENTS IF THERE WERE

CIVIL WAR, WOULD THEY BE LIKELY

TO FIGHT? AND ONE OUT OF 4 SAID

YES.

>> THOSE NUMBERS WERE HIGHER

AMONG VERY CONSERVATIVE VOTERS

AND URBAN VOTERS.

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