Diagnosing the Divide: A Look at the American Electorate

American political divides often transcend policy issues. The 2020 presidential election revealed that supporters of Joe Biden and Donald Trump consider the differences between them as more than just political; eight-in-ten registered voters claim their differences were about core American values and 32% of voters rank “division in the country” as the most important issue facing them personally. Why does the United States face such stark fissures?

To diagnose the divide and examine the vast diversity in today’s American electorate, this Georgetown University Politics Forum features an exclusive look at the latest edition of Pew Research Center’s political typology study and popular interactive quiz, which segments the public into nine distinct groups based on an analysis of Americans’ political values and attitudes, and provides a road map to today’s fractured political landscape. Jocelyn Kiley, Associate Director of Research at Pew Research Center, Tony Fabrizio, chief pollster for President Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns, and John Anzalone, chief pollster for President Biden’s 2020 campaign, join Georgetown University Politics executive director Mo Elleithee for a moderated conversation at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service. They not only dive into the trends behind the American electorate one year ahead of the 2022 midterms but also shed light on the nuances of a divided American public beyond the partisan lens.