Using an 11-point scale ranging from very liberal to very conservative, the study finds that while the average ideological ratings people give themselves are similar to the ratings they give their party, only about one-quarter of partisans place themselves at exactly the same point as their party. Many Republicans and Democrats see themselves as either somewhat more moderate or somewhat more ideologically distinct than their party.
We surveyed 5,103 U.S. adults from April 20 to 26, 2026. Everyone who took this survey is part of the Center’s American Trends Panel. The survey reflects the views of all U.S. adults.