While 85% of Americans believe it is very important the United States remain a democracy, 52% believe American democracy is facing a “major threat” according to the newest edition of the Grinnell College National Poll (Grinnell-Selzer). The results of the poll, taken Oct. 13-17, 2021 by Selzer & Company on behalf of Grinnell College, were released on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021.
The concern that American democracy is facing a major threat is driven by Republicans (71%) and those age 65 and older (70%). Only 35% of Democrats say they feel democracy is facing a major threat.
“The sense that democracy is under threat is characterized by deep, partisan polarization, with Republicans rather than Democrats describing our democracy as facing a ‘major’ threat,” said Danielle Lussier, Grinnell associate professor of political science. “It appears as though baseless accounts of fraud and a stolen 2020 election have sharply eroded confidence in our system among Republicans and created a sense that democracy is facing a crisis.”
Not sure what’s more troubling about this poll: that so many Republicans believe this (because of the false claims that the 2020 election was stolen) or that so few Democrats do