Results of Pew Research Center‘s Political Survey
In 2021, a Pew Research Center survey of the U.S. general public identified distinct clusters of political beliefs and values. The origins of these Pew labels and their descriptions are explained in a previous post. The bullet points within the quadrants below summarize this Pew research. The researchers themselves did not position these Pew types within the framework of a political compass.
Avatars of the U.S. Political Compass
These politicians were chosen to represent the Pew types based on their recent and prominent involvement in political activities. These individuals serve as simplified examples to help readers understand the general policy inclinations of each Pew type and quadrant. Although Ralph Nader has not campaigned recently, he maintains a significant following as a regular podcaster and current political author. Within each quadrant, while the chosen politician might originate from the wealthier and more educated segment of the two Pew types in that quadrant, they are intended to represent the interests and values of the specific Pew type to which they have been assigned.
Although Tulsi Gabbard is a practicing Hindu, she arguably serves as a powerful representative of the Christian-dominant 'faith and flag conservatives' Pew type. This connection is rooted in her public articulation of values like duty and selfless service, as well as her military background. While she opposes 'counterproductive wars of regime change,' her stance on combating terrorism is notably hawkish.
The shift from the old guard to the new guard within the committed conservatives and outsider left Pew types reflects the coalition realignment discussed previously.
Thanks for reading. Here’s a related post: “The Realignment Update.”
Repeat of Quadrants Content
This section repeats the writing in the quadrants, for any who have difficulty reading in that format. Groups are presented in order of political party size.
Auth-left Quadrant
Pew type: Democratic mainstays (moderate Democrats)
• Largest of the Dem-leaning groups
• Older, less college educated
• Most identify as moderate
• Most racially and ethnically diverse of all the groups; many Black Democrats
• Liberal views on race, economics and the social safety net, but more conservative on immigration, crime, military power
• Reliable voters
New guard: Dean Phillips
Old guard: Bernie Sanders
Pew type: Establishment liberals
• Liberal but prefer gradual change
• Recognize societal ills around race and need for correction, but it should come from laws and institutions
• More likely to back compromise
• Generally optimistic about politics
• Very politically active
New guard: Kamala Harris
Old guard: Nancy Pelosi & Joe Biden
Auth-right Quadrant
Pew type: Committed conservatives (corporate globalist hawks)
• Highly educated
• Pro-business
• Pro well-managed immigration
• Globalist (support U.S. in world affairs)
• Want limited government
• Fans of Reagan but not Trump
• Very politically active
New guard: Vivek Ramaswami
Old guard: Dick Cheney
Pew type: Faith and flag conservatives
• Deeply conservative across issues
• Christianity belongs in public life
• Mostly white and older age
• Strong trump supporters
• Say Jan 6 event overblown by media
• Very politically active
New guard: Tulsi Gabbard
Old guard: Mit Romney
Lib-right Quadrant
Pew type: Populist right
• Least college educated
• Negative view of public education
• Most likely to live in a rural area
• Most fervent hard-liners on immigration
• Say U.S. law favors a powerful few
• Say tax the rich more
• Strong Trump supporters
• Very politically concerned
New guard: J.D. Vance
Old guard: Rand Paul
Pew type: Ambivalent right (dissident right)
• Young, not religious
• Want limited government
• Want stricter immigration policy, but it’s not a top issue
• Lean lib on abortion, gay rights, & legalizing recreational drugs
• Most are not Trump supporters
• Not as politically active
New guard: Elon Musk
Old guard: Pat Buchanan
Lib-left (Green) Quadrant
Pew type: Progressive left
• Young and highly educated
• Largest group to say it backed Sen. Bernie Sanders or Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the primaries (but voted Dem in general election)
• More than two-thirds white
• Extremely liberal policy positions
• Very politically active
New guard: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Old guard: Elizabeth Warren
Pew type: Outsider left
• Especially liberal on issues of race, immigration, and climate
• Many identify as independents
• Not thrilled with Dems or Republicans
• Don’t believe the U.S. is the best nation
• Less politically active; less reliable voters
• Side Democratic when they do vote
New guard: RFK Jr.
Old guard: Ralph Nader