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Broad distrust among opposing voters, poll shows

University of Delaware Center for Political Communication
Partisan Distrust of Other Voters

Results from a new University of Delaware Center for Political Communication poll show people on both sides of the aisle distrust those who voted differently than them in the 2016 presidential election. The poll found 70% of people who identify as Republican don’t trust people who voted for Hillary Clinton, and 72% of Democrats don’t trust people who voted for Donald Trump.

UD Associate Professor of Communications Lindsay Hoffman is the Center for Political Communications’ Associate Director.  She says it supports other studies pointing to a national divide.

“Partisan distrust and sort of a dislike that has been increasing for a couple of decades now. We’re seeing in other research as well that Republicans simply don’t like Democrats as a whole, and vice-versa,” said Hoffman.

The data was compiled in conjunction with Wednesday’s conversation on the UD campus between former Michigan Democratic Congressman David Bonior and former Delaware Republican Congressman and Governor Mike Castle. Hoffman says their conversation demonstrates common ground is often found when people of opposing views actually have a conversation.

If you were to put two people in a room, like we did with Mike Castle and David Bonior, you’ll find that they actually have a lot more in common than they might think, but as of now what we’re seeing from these data: when asked to think about a group of people that you disagree with broadly, there tends to be very negative feelings toward that group,” said Hoffman.

The irony in the study’s data is that people report a 80% distrust in the media, which Hoffman says is the main entity providing the information with which they base their mistrust in opposing voters.

The study was conducted last month interviewing 725 people via automated phone survey.