Poll: Majority of Democrats think the U.S. is ‘great,’ but not the greatest

A new poll published this week by The New York Times and Siena College showed a large portion of Democrat voters think the United States is currently headed in the “wrong direction,” and showed a sharp divide in what issues voters from each party find most important.

The poll, which asked 1,399 registered US voters their opinions on several topics related to the upcoming midterm elections, found 37 percent of Democrat voters chose “wrong direction” when asked, “Do you think the United States is on the right track, or is it headed in the wrong direction?” 

Democrats also answered overwhelmingly that the United States is not the greatest country in the world. Only 37 percent of Democrat voters agreed that the United States is “the greatest country in the world,” while 56 percent said “America is a great country but not the greatest.”

Republicans showed a much higher confidence in the country’s global status, with 69 percent of GOP responders saying America is the greatest country in the world. Only 24 percent of Republicans said the US is “great” but not the greatest.

When it comes to policy issues, Democrat voters are heavily focused on “societal issues, such as abortion, guns, or democracy,” with 49 percent of left-leaning voters saying these were their priority in November. Republicans, however, are more focused on “economic issues, such as jobs, taxes or the cost of living.”

Asked who they would vote for if a presidential election were held this year and the two main candidates were Joe Biden and Donald Trump, 92 percent of Democrats said they would vote for Biden, and 91 percent of Republicans said they would vote for Trump.

Almost no voters said they would not vote at all if they were presented with those candidates today.