Most Americans are afraid of the potential for nuclear war, according to a poll released Friday by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic polling firm.
In the poll, provided exclusively to Axios:
Voters' feelings on North Korea launching a nuclear missile at the United States:
- Very fearful: 40 percent.
- Somewhat fearful: 42 percent.
- Not at all fearful: 15 percent.
Breaking down the results by party affiliation shows that more Democrats are "very fearful" than Republicans about the threat.
Democrats:
- Very fearful: 51 percent.
- Somewhat fearful: 36 percent.
- Not fearful: 10 percent.
Republicans:
- Very fearful: 32 percent.
- Somewhat fearful: 49 percent.
- Not at all fearful: 16 percent.
Independents:
- Very fearful: 33 percent.
- Somewhat fearful: 42 percent.
- Not at all fearful: 23 percent.
A majority of Republicans are in favor of a pre-emptive strike against North Korea, while most Democrats oppose an attack.
In other poll results:
- 91 percent of those who took the poll have paid some degree of attention to the news about North Korea.
- 54 percent of both Republicans and Democrats believe that war with North Korea is somewhat close — while 26 percent of Democrats and 23 percent of Republicans believe it's very close.
- 82 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Republicans believe that all efforts at diplomacy must be used to avoid a war.
- 90 percent of Democrats and 80 percent of Republicans are in favor of direct talks with North Korea before military involvement.
The Public Policy Polling survey was conducted Aug. 9 and 10, according to Axios.