{"id":8256,"date":"2024-06-25T11:48:31","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T15:48:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/%year%\/%monthnum%\/%day%\/more-americans-see-bipartisan-common-ground-on-foreign-policy-than-on-abortion-other-issues\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T09:40:53","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T13:40:53","slug":"americans-see-little-bipartisan-common-ground-but-more-on-foreign-policy-than-on-abortion-guns","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2024\/06\/25\/americans-see-little-bipartisan-common-ground-but-more-on-foreign-policy-than-on-abortion-guns\/","title":{"rendered":"Americans see little bipartisan common ground, but more on foreign policy than on abortion, guns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a wide range of issues, fewer than half of Americans say there is common ground between Republicans and Democrats in Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But there are some differences over where the parties <em>do<\/em> agree. The public continues to see more bipartisan common ground on foreign policy than on topics such as abortion and gun policy, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted May 13-19, 2024, among 8,638 U.S. adults.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"how-we-did-this\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;how-we-did-this&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>How we did this<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand how Americans view the policy positions of Republicans and Democrats in Washington. For this analysis, we surveyed 8,638 U.S. adults from May 13 to 19, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/our-methods\/u-s-surveys\/the-american-trends-panel\/\">ATP\u2019s methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are the <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_topline.pdf\">questions used for this analysis<\/a>, along with responses, and its <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2024\/05\/23\/economy-national-problems-methodology\/\">methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-640-wide is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2024\/06\/25\/americans-see-little-bipartisan-common-ground-but-more-on-foreign-policy-than-on-abortion-guns\/sr_24-06-13_common-ground_1\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"ebe5d2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_1.png?resize=480,459 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_1.png?resize=782,748 782w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_1.png?resize=840,804 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"613\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_1.png?w=640\" alt=\"A bar chart showing that, on many issues, Americans see little to no common ground between GOP and Democrats in Washington.\" class=\"wp-image-171610 not-transparent\" style=\"--dominant-color: #ebe5d2; width:420px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>About four-in-ten Americans (38%) say there is at least some common ground between the two parties\u2019 <strong>foreign policy<\/strong> positions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By contrast, just 18% of Americans say there is at least some common ground between Republicans and Democrats on <strong>abortion<\/strong>. Most (80%) say there is either not too much overlap on this issue (38%) or no common ground at all (42%).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Only about two-in-ten say there is some or a lot of bipartisan common ground on the issues of <strong>gun policy<\/strong> (19%) or <strong>immigration<\/strong> (21%).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Larger shares \u2013 though still minorities of the public \u2013 see at least some common ground on the <strong>budget deficit<\/strong> (27%), the <strong>environment<\/strong> (31%) or the <strong>economy<\/strong> (32%).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"americans-see-less-common-ground-than-they-did-last-year\">Americans see less common ground than they did last year<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-640-wide is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2024\/06\/25\/americans-see-little-bipartisan-common-ground-but-more-on-foreign-policy-than-on-abortion-guns\/sr_24-06-13_common-ground_2\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f3f2f0\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"620\" height=\"928\"  sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_2.png?resize=480,718 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_2.png?resize=620,928 620w\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_2.png?w=620\" alt=\"A line chart showing that fewer Americans see common ground between the parties than last year.\" class=\"wp-image-171611 not-transparent\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f3f2f0; width:310px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Compared with January 2023, Americans now see less common ground between the two parties in Washington on all six issues asked about in both surveys. (The 2023 survey did not ask about the economy.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, last year, 54% saw at least some common ground on foreign policy. Today, 38% do, a 16 percentage point drop.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across these six issue areas, the share of adults who say there is at least some common ground between the parties has declined by an average of 12 points since 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"views-of-republicans-and-democrats\">Views of Republicans and Democrats<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-640-wide is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2024\/06\/25\/americans-see-little-bipartisan-common-ground-but-more-on-foreign-policy-than-on-abortion-guns\/sr_24-06-13_common-ground_3\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f0eff0\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"620\" height=\"892\"  sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_3.png?resize=480,691 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_3.png?resize=620,892 620w\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_3.png?w=620\" alt=\"A dot plot showing that, on several issues, Republicans and Democrats view the extent of common ground between the parties similarly.\" class=\"wp-image-171612 not-transparent\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f0eff0; width:310px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Partisan differences are generally modest when it comes to Americans\u2019 perceptions of common ground between the parties. However, when there <em>are<\/em> differences, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say there is bipartisan common ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are nearly twice as likely as Republicans and Republican leaners to say there is at least some common ground between the parties in Washington on the economy (41% vs. 22%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to perceive some common ground on foreign policy (44% vs. 32%) and immigration (27% vs. 15%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And Democrats are somewhat more likely than Republicans to say there is some common ground on the budget deficit (31% vs. 22%) and gun policy (23% vs. 16%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Note: This is an update of a post originally published on Feb. 15, 2023. Here are the <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/SR_24.06.13_common-ground_topline.pdf\">questions used for this analysis<\/a>, along with responses, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2024\/05\/23\/economy-national-problems-methodology\/\">survey methodology<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Across six issue areas, the share of adults who say there is at least some common ground between the parties has declined by an average of 12 points since 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":648,"featured_media":179493,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sub_headline":"","sub_title":"","_prc_public_revisions":[],"_ppp_expiration_hours":0,"_ppp_enabled":false,"ai_generated_summary":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-02-15T16:00:56Z","apple_news_api_id":"ac754723-ae86-4fb1-a948-90245654516a","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-05-09T15:46:21Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/ArHVHI66GT7GpSJAkVlRRag","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"apple_news_api_pending":"1713063329","relatedPosts":[],"datacite_doi":"","datacite_doi_citation":"","_prc_seo_qr_attachment_id":0,"spoken_article_player_enabled":true,"displayBylines":true,"footnotes":"","prc_watchers":[],"_prc_fork_parent":0,"_prc_fork_status":"","_prc_active_fork":0},"categories":[417,38,418],"bylines":[729],"collection":[],"datasets":[2779],"_post_visibility":[],"formats":[467],"_fund_pool":[],"languages":[],"regions-countries":[515],"research-teams":[520],"workflow-status":[],"class_list":["post-8256","short-read","type-short-read","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-partisanship-issues","category-political-issues","category-political-polarization","bylines-andrew-daniller","datasets-american-trends-panel-wave-148","formats-short-read","regions-countries-united-states","research-teams-politics"],"label":"Short 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see little bipartisan common ground on policy in Washington","description":"Across six issue areas, the share of adults who say there is at least some common ground between the parties has declined by an average of 12 points since 2023.","og_title":"Americans see little bipartisan common ground, but more on foreign policy than on abortion, guns","og_description":"Across six issue areas, the share of adults who say there is at least some common ground between the parties has declined by an average of 12 points since 2023.","schema_type":"Article","noindex":false,"canonical_url":"","primary_terms":{"category":38,"formats":467,"regions-countries":515,"research-teams":520},"custom_schema":[],"twitter_title":"More Americans see bipartisan common ground on foreign policy than on abortion, other issues","twitter_description":"A slim majority of Americans say there is a lot or some common ground between the foreign policy positions of Republicans and Democrats in 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