Many American voters, especially independents, believe the Republican Party is moving too far to the right while the Democratic Party is going too far to the left, according to a new Quinnipiac University national poll.
The poll of 1,514 voters across the country was released on Thursday and found:
- Forty percent of voters, including 41 percent of independent voters, 13 percent of Republican voters and 60 percent of Democratic voters, say the Republican Party is moving too far to the right.
- Forty-one percent of voters, including 42 percent of independent voters, 15 percent of Democrats and 72 percent of Republicans, say the Democratic Party is moving too far to the left.
"A great divide becomes a chasm as voters watch the two major parties drift further apart," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
"And it is reflected in the fact that half of all voters are very dissatisfied with the way things are going in the nation today."
The poll — conducted from Aug. 17-22 with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points — also found:
- Democrats remain the less disliked party, with a negative 33-52 percent favorability rating among American voters, including a negative 25-56 percent among independent voters.
- Republicans have a negative 25-63 percent favorability, including a negative 17-68 percent among independent voters.
- Voters say 50-38 percent, including 49-34 percent among independents, they want the Democrats to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018.
- Fifty-one to 40 percent, including 49-36 percent among independents, say they want Democrats to win control of the U.S. Senate next year.
On the many tough issues facing the nation:
- Twenty-two percent of voters say healthcare is the most important problem, while 19 percent list race relations; 15 percent say the economy; 12 percent cite terrorism and 9 percent list foreign policy.
- Fifty percent of American voters are "very dissatisfied" with the way things are going in the nation, with 27 percent "somewhat dissatisfied," 19 percent "somewhat satisfied" and 3 percent "very satisfied." This is the worst satisfaction rate in four years.
On the ongoing saber-rattling by North Korea, which continues to threaten the U.S. with nuclear weapons:
- Some 68 percent of American voters are concerned about a nuclear conflict with North Korea, while 31 percent are not concerned.
- It is more important to avoid war with North Korea, 54 percent of voters say, while 39 percent say it is more important to remove North Korea's nuclear weapons. Men want to avoid war 53-43 percent and women agree 56-36 percent.
- American voters disapprove 58-37 percent of the way President Donald Trump talks about the situation in North Korea and say 54-42 percent that they do not have confidence in Trump to handle the situation.
- Voters say 79-14 percent the U.S. should respond with military force if North Korea fires missiles into the waters near Guam. Support for a military response is 74 percent or higher among every listed party, gender, education, age or racial group.
Additionally, President Trump gets a slightly negative 45-49 percent approval rating for handling the economy.
The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts public opinion surveys nationwide, and in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa and Colorado as a public service and for research.
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