Dem
51
GOP
49
On Wednesday, we put together a little quiz based on YouGov's polling about the most (and least) liked political figures in America. Here are the answers:
Of the 1,500 readers who took the survey, here are the 15 (well, 16) who put up the best scores:
• 15t. S.S. in West Hollywood, CA: 7 correct, missed tiebreaker by 7
• 15t. S.N. in Charlotte, NC: 7, 7
• 14. W.T. in Binghamton, NY: 7, 6
• 13. G.R. in Mesa, AZ: 7, 5
• 10t. E.K. in Brignoles, France: 7, 4
• 10t. S.W. in Raleigh, NC: 7, 4
• 10t. R.H. in Lansing, MI: 7, 4
• 9. R.A. in Arlington, VA: 7, 3
• 8. R.S. in Peoria, AZ: 7, 2
• 7. A.C. in Columbus, OH: 8, 17
• 6. J.-P.M. in Montpellier, France: 9, 0
• 5. J.P.B. in Phoenix, AZ: 9, 0
• 4. D.K. in Slab City, CA: 10, 6
• 3. J.K.P. in Tampa, FL: 10, 3
• 1t. R.J.S. in Phoenix, AZ: 10, 2
• 1t. T.P. in Clovis, CA: 10, 2
The average score was 2.68, the median was 3 and the mode was 3.
Now let's talk a little bit about what it all means. First, we acknowledge that the approach here is a bit wonky, in two ways. First, because YouGov is combining data from many different sets of respondents. Second, because the pollster is using "popularity" rather than "approval" so that non-officeholders can be included.
That said, we don't think it's too big a problem. First, because most of the numbers here track pretty well with what we already knew (e.g., Joe Biden's approval, Donald Trump's approval, etc.). Second, because even if the individual numbers are a little off, the relative relationship is probably still correct. That is to say, it is clear that, say, Nikki Haley is less popular than Donald Trump. That's not just a byproduct of the pollster's technique.
Anyhow, the obvious lesson here, which we wrote about yesterday, and which we've talked about many times, is that "popular politician" is a relic of the past. The five men in question one are the top five in YouGov's rankings. That means there are a grand total of four political figures in America above 50%, and only one of them is still in office. And when Jimmy Carter goes to the big peanut farm in the sky, the grand total will be down to three.
Meanwhile, the numbers for key modern-day political figures are ghastly. Joe Biden at 44%, Kamala Harris at 43%, Donald Trump at 42%. But you know whose numbers are worse? Everyone else. You could make a pretty good argument that these people have risen to the top because they are, if not the most beloved political figures in America, the least hated. And it should be clear that it's a fantasy that tossing Biden, Harris or Trump overboard in favor of a different candidate will lead their respective party to rally around the replacement and to sing a round of "Kumbaya."
Perhaps the most shocking result, of all the political figures, is the sub-40 for John Lewis. The man is a hero, an icon of the Civil Rights Movement, and is now deceased. Sure, there are racists out there, but you would think if anyone could pull a 60 or a 70, it would be him. And yet... not so much. To borrow from yesterday's headline, it really is clear the U.S. is in an era of "Rage and Grievance." And, in turn, it means that approval/popularity ratings cannot be interpreted in the context of past generations, when ratings above 50 and 60 and even 70 were fairly common.
Oh, and if you would like to see YouGov's numbers for yourself, they are here. (Z)