Poll: 82 Percent of Americans 'Fearful' of Nuclear War

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.

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