Eighty-eight percent of Americans are concerned about what they perceive as a growing danger of politically motivated violence. Six in ten say they are "very concerned" about the shift in the Democratic Party's electoral discourse toward demonizing its rivals and warning that Republican sympathizers pose a threat to democracy. In addition, more respondents consider that both parties are to blame for the situation than any one party in particular.
These are the results of a survey conducted by the Washington Post and ABC News Poll carried out after the attack on Paul Pelosi. The insistence of Joe Biden and many Democratic leaders in blaming the assault on the Republican Party, especially MAGA and the supporters of Donald Trump - oblivious to the fact that it was committed by an apparently disturbed progressive activist - has succeeded in alarming the American public.
Both sides guilty
According to the poll, 32% of respondents believe that both parties are to blame for the increased tension. There was a slim margin between those who single out one party in particular. Thirty-one percent blame the Republican Party for the violence, compared to 26% who believe it stems from the Democratic Party.
Many respondents also blame the media for encouraging politically motivated violence. Forty-seven percent say the media indeed encourages violence, while 15% believe that the media discourages the increase in tension and 33% say they do nothing in one way or the other.
Women more concerned than men
The survey indicates that 95% of Democrats, 87% of Republicans and 86% of Independents are at least somewhat concerned about the increased risk of politically motivated violence. A greater proportion of Democratic supporters consider themselves "very concerned" about the situation: 75%, compared to 61% of independents and 51% of conservatives.
In addition, more women than men were concerned about the situation. Specifically, 92% of female respondents expressed some level of concern compared to 83% of males. Two out of three women say they are "very concerned."
