Department of Government and Politics Professors Shibley Telhami and Stella Rouse recently took a deeper look at the Critical Issues Polls they conducted last March, May, June and October on American attitudes toward the war in Ukraine, as well as race, ethnicity and religion two years after George Floyd’s death, and ahead of the 2022 midterm election.
“Over the past year, we have conducted a number of polls on the critical issues of the day … Our new report releases some new information as well as going beyond the basic findings, providing more in-depth demographic analyses of attitudes and how they change over time,” explained Telhami.
With regard to the war in Ukraine, the researchers’ latest analyses revealed that after an initial dip in support between March and May—and despite growing partisanship—Americans remain prepared to pay costs related to supporting Ukraine. The majority (61%) still oppose risking the lives of troops, but willingness to take this risk has grown since June from 32% to 38% in October, the highest levels recorded since the Critical Issues Poll began tracking this issue. In addition, those who believed Russia was failing and Ukraine was winning were more in favor of actions to support Ukraine, including sending troops with NATO allies to Ukraine (49% of those who said Ukraine was winning and 46% who said Russia was failing were supportive of sending troops, compared to 39% of Americans overall).
The researchers’ analyses also revealed interesting findings about younger Americans’ attitudes toward the Ukraine war. In October, 40% of Americans under 30 saw Russia as failing, compared to half of Americans aged 30 or older and 48% of Americans overall. In addition, only 30% of young Americans saw Ukraine as succeeding, compared to 45% of Americans 30 years and older and 43% of Americans overall. It appears that younger Americans believe Russia is having greater success than Ukraine in the war effort, compared to older Americans.
Despite younger Americans’ less optimistic view of Ukraine’s potential upperhand in the conflict, however, younger Americans were more tolerant of the costs and risks of U.S. support for Ukraine. Seventy-two percent of Americans under the age of 30 said they were prepared to pay higher energy costs, compared to 58% of Americans aged 30 years or older (a 14-point difference) and 48% were prepared to risk the lives of U.S. troops, compared to 37% of Americans at least 30 years old (an 11-point difference).
With regard to Americans’ feelings on race, ethnicity and religion, the researchers also found that Democrats (82%) and younger generations (59% of Millennials and Generation Z) were more likely to agree that "generations of slavery and discrimination have created conditions that make it difficult for Black Americans to work their way out of the lower class" compared to Republicans (16%) and older generations (39% of Silent Generation and Baby Boomers, 54% of Generation X).
“These findings are in line with other research that consistently shows both a generational and partisan divide in whether people acknowledge that Black Americans continue to incur long-standing structural barriers to greater economic prosperity. Those who view these factors as ongoing obstacles for this group tend to be younger and/or hold more progressive and egalitarian views,” said Rouse.
Additionally, the researchers found there was a significant partisan divide when asked about different groups’ impact on American society. Overall, Asian Americans and Jewish Americans were seen most favorably by respondents, with a 21-point difference between Democrats (75%) and Republicans (54%) who said Asian Americans strengthen American society, and a 22-point difference for Jewish Americans (71% of Democrats to 49% of Republicans). The partisan divide was greater among those who said Black Americans strengthen American society (75% of Democrats to 36% of Republicans), a 35-point difference for Latino Americans (76% of Democrats to 41% of Republicans), and a 45% difference for Muslim Americans (66% of Democrats to 21% of Republicans).
“One striking finding is that the political rise of Donald Trump has been accompanied by an emboldened extremist fringe targeting Jewish and Muslim Americans, among others,” noted Telhami. “Fortunately, this has had more of a vertical effect, the intensity of a few voices, rather than a horizontal effect, the expansion in the number of voices—though dangerous nonetheless.”
Read Professor Telahmi and Professor Rouse’s Full Report
Photo of people with Ukraine flags standing outside the White House is by Yohan Marion from Unsplash
Original news story posted by the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences