Americans Are Less Polarized Than You Think—Most Sit in the 'Messy Middle'
A majority of Americans hold overlapping political views despite the country's reputation for deep polarization, new research shows. As voters cast ballots in the US midterm elections to decide which party controls Congress, studies suggest Americans overestimate how much they actually disagree with one another.
The United States has grown more politically polarized, but research shows that Americans overestimate how much they disagree with one another [277372]. A majority of Americans hold overlapping political views—a group researchers call the "messy middle" [277372].
Voters are casting ballots in the US midterm elections, with races that will decide which party controls Congress—the body that makes federal laws—and shape the balance of power in Washington [278378]. Live results are being tracked in charts and maps as outcomes become clear [278378].
The findings on American political agreement come as the nation weighs its divisions during a major election cycle. While polarization is often emphasized, the research indicates that most Americans share common ground on many political questions [277372].