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Political Instability Not U.S. Adversaries, Seen As Bigger Threat, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Nearly 6 In 10 Think Nation's Democracy Is In Danger Of Collapse

In a sharply divided country, Americans agree on this: the bigger danger to the United States comes from within. Seventy-six percent say they think political instability within the country is a bigger danger to the United States compared to the 19 percent who think other countries that are adversaries of the United States are the bigger danger, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of adults released today.

Democrats say 83 - 13 percent, independents say 78 - 19 percent, and Republicans say 66 - 29 percent that political instability in the U.S. is the bigger danger.

A majority of Americans, 58 - 37 percent, think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse.

Republicans say 62 - 36 percent, independents say 57 - 39 percent, and Democrats say 56 - 37 percent they think the nation's democracy is in danger of collapse.

Just over half of Americans (53 percent) expect political divisions in the country to worsen over their lifetime, 28 percent expect them to remain about the same, and 15 percent expect them to ease.

"A fear of the enemy within, not a foreign threat, punctuates a grim assessment by Americans of a democracy in peril and a future of deepening political divisions," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

JANUARY 6TH

Just over half of Americans (53 percent) think it is either very likely (19 percent) or somewhat likely (34 percent) that there will be another attack in the United States like the one that happened at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Forty-three percent think it is not so likely (22 percent) or not likely at all (21 percent).

On the Congressional investigation of the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, 61 percent support the investigation while 33 percent oppose it.

Democrats support the investigation 83 - 15 percent, independents support it 65 - 30 percent, while Republicans oppose it 60 - 36 percent.

Fifty percent say the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 was an attack on democracy that should never be forgotten, while 44 percent say too much is being made of the storming of the U.S. Capitol and it's time to move on. That compares to a Quinnipiac University Poll on August 4, 2021 when 57 percent said it should never be forgotten and 38 percent said it was time to move on.

As for former President Trump and how much responsibility, if any, he bears for the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, 43 percent say Trump bears a lot of responsibility for it, 18 percent say he bears some responsibility, 16 percent say not much responsibility, and 20 percent say none at all. The results are similar to an October 2021 Quinnipiac University survey.

Americans say 57 - 34 percent that they do not believe there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Republicans, however, say 71 - 22 percent that they believe there was widespread voter fraud. These numbers are similar to February 2021 when Americans said 59 - 36 percent that they did not believe there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, but Republicans said 76 - 19 percent that they believed there was widespread voter fraud.

BIDEN JOB APPROVALS

Americans give President Joe Biden a negative 33 - 53 percent job approval rating, while 13 percent did not offer an opinion. In November 2021, Americans gave Biden a negative 36 - 53 percent job approval rating with 10 percent not offering an opinion.

Among Democrats in today's poll, 75 percent approve, 14 percent disapprove and 11 percent did not offer an opinion.

Among Democrats in November's poll, 87 percent approved, 7 percent disapproved and 6 percent did not offer an opinion.

Among registered voters in today's poll, Biden receives a negative 35 - 54 percent job approval rating with 11 percent not offering an opinion.

In November, registered voters gave him a negative 38 - 53 percent job approval rating with 9 percent not offering an opinion.

Among adults, Americans give negative scores on the following three issues when asked about Biden's handling of...

  • the economy: 34 percent approve, while 57 percent disapprove;
  • foreign policy: 35 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove;
  • the response to the coronavirus: 39 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove.

BIDEN: ONE YEAR IN OFFICE

As President Biden marks his first year in the Oval Office, 50 percent of Americans say the job he is doing is about what they expected, 39 percent say he's doing a worse job than expected, and 7 percent say he's doing a better job than expected.

A plurality, 49 percent, say Biden is doing more to divide the country while 42 percent say he's doing more to unite the country.

Roughly 4 in 10 Americans (41 percent) think Biden is too liberal, 38 percent say he's about right, 9 percent say he's too conservative, and 12 percent did not offer an opinion.

"A rocky start for President Biden gets him low grades on his year one report card," added Malloy.

ECONOMY

A majority of Americans, 54 percent, think the nation's economy is getting worse, 30 percent say it's staying about the same, and 15 percent say it's getting better.

As for the current state of the economy, 28 percent say it's either excellent (2 percent) or good (26 percent), while 70 percent say it's not so good (35 percent) or poor (35 percent).

TRUMP IN 2024?

Nearly 6 in 10 Americans (59 - 33 percent) say they would not like to see Donald Trump run for president in 2024, similar to an October 19, 2021 survey.

In today's survey, Republicans say 69 - 23 percent that they do want to see Trump run in 2024.

In October, Republicans said 78 - 16 percent that they wanted to see Trump run in 2024.

2022 MIDTERM ELECTIONS & POLITICAL PARTIES

Americans are split on which party they would want to see win control of the United States House of Representatives as 43 percent say the Republican Party, 42 percent say the Democratic Party, and 16 percent did not offer an opinion. That's compared to November 2021 when 46 percent said the Republican Party, 38 percent said the Democratic Party and 16 percent did not offer an opinion.

As for which party they want to see win control of the United States Senate, 45 percent say the Republican Party, 41 percent say the Democratic Party, and 14 percent did not offer an opinion.

Americans give Republicans in Congress a negative 26 - 62 percent job approval rating with 13 percent not offering an opinion.

Americans give Democrats in Congress a negative 30 - 59 percent job approval rating with 11 percent not offering an opinion.

Roughly 6 in 10 Americans (62 - 30 percent) say the Democratic Party is more committed to individual politicians than the principles of the U.S. Constitution.

More than half of Americans (56 - 36 percent) say the Republican Party is more committed to individual politicians than the principles of the U.S. Constitution.

1,313 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from January 7th - 10th with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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Email poll@qu.edu, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.

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