Overview
Center Forward’s mission is to cultivate meaningful conversations across the spectrum among elected officials representing both political parties. Even in the face of extreme political polarization, we believe there are opportunities for Republicans and Democrats to come together to address the significant challenges facing our country and affect positive change for all Americans. Many elected leaders in Congress are open to bipartisan dialogue and actively working to find ways to work together to enact smart, sustainable policies that stand the test of time. This is why we decided to ask the voters who sent these leaders to Congress about their feelings about engaging in political discourse and the trajectory of the country.
Key Findings
Americans are united in their values — though they may not see or say them in the same way.
Voters agree: Democrats should be less dogmatic; Republicans should be more empathic.
The president is both causing voters to unplug while also driving them to vote in 2026.
Weary of polarization, voters want compromise – but they are uncompromising on compromise.
Months after the 2024 election, voters still felt anxious and overwhelmed about the country. They were primarily concerned about Donald Trump’s actions since taking office. Still, about half of voters expressed hope, with many Trump voters excited by Donald Trump’s speedy delivery of his campaign promises.
Voters often expressed open-mindedness to alternative perspectives on political, moral and personal disagreements, either sharing a time when they changed their own view on an issue or a time when they gained respect for other positions.
Americans still come together in this highly polarized environment. Voters across the political spectrum shared stories of resilience and community in response to the election of Donald Trump and in the wake of recent tragedies.
The economy and concerns about the cost of living emerged as the most important issues facing the country.
Even among some of his supporters, voters are increasingly wary of Donald Trump only one month into his second term.
The Full Research Guide
There are thousands of polls that quantify how voters identify politically or how they rank issues in order of importance. With this voter research journal, the goal was instead to gain a better understanding of voters’ lived experiences, attitudes, and motivations before and after the recent presidential election. Conducted in collaboration with a bipartisan group of research and data experts, Center Forward engaged over 30 individuals before, immediately after, and now several months into the new administration. We heard from voters, in their own words, about how they regarded the political climate in 2024 and assessed their outlook going forward.
