Political extremism tops the list of Americans’ biggest concerns, surpassing both the economy and immigration, according to a new survey.
The three-day poll, completed Sunday and published Tuesday by Reuters/Ipsos, found 21 percent of respondents said “political extremism or threats to democracy” is their top worry, followed by 19 percent who picked the economy and 18 percent who picked immigration.
Concerns were split among party lines, with Democrats calling extremism their No. 1 issue, while Republicans picked immigration, according to the poll, which was shared with The Hill.
Extremism was also independents’ biggest concern, with almost a third of those respondents selecting it, followed by immigration, which was picked by about one-fifth of independents, pollsters found. The economy came in third for independent voters.
The poll’s findings provide an insight into the issues weighing most heavily on voters’ minds ahead of November’s election. It further suggests the lasting impact of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, in which pro-Trump rioters stormed the building in an attempt to block the certification of President Biden’s victory, which may have fueled voters’ concerns over political violence.
Former President Trump, the current front-runner in the GOP White House primary by a wide margin, has repeatedly claimed the 2020 election was stolen and that the four separate criminal cases and 91 total charges he is currently facing are politically motivated.
Experts have expressed fears his rhetoric could prompt more political extremism and violence from his supporters in the future.
The Democratic firm Navigator in December found 83 percent of people were concerned about the threat of political violence in the U.S.
In a separate poll from Gallup released Tuesday, respondents listed immigration as the most important issue currently facing the U.S.
GOP concerns about the southern border and immigration have so far stymied ongoing negotiations to fund the government ahead of multiple looming deadlines.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey used a nationally representative sample of 1,020 adults and had a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points.
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