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Articles by Lew Blank
As Alaska’s Affordability Crisis Deepens, Peltola Leads in Senate Race
New Data for Progress polling finds Alaska voters contending with a widespread and worsening affordability crisis and increasingly opposed to Governor Mike Dunleavy, who has grown deeply unpopular after repeatedly taking positions out of line with Alaska voters. Against this backdrop, former Representative Mary Peltola and Representative Nick Begich lead their races for U.S. Senate and House.
Voters Think Billionaires Earned Their Wealth Through Exploitation, Not Hard Work
This summer, Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire. Yet, in 2025, nearly 2 in 5 Americans could not afford a $400 emergency expense. As the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and voters are recognizing how extreme wealth not only exploits the working class, but also negatively influences politics.
Green Urbanism in America: Voter Attitudes Toward Sustainable Community Development
A strong majority of voters (73%) consider environmental sustainability policies somewhat or very important for their communities, compared with just 21% who do not. Across partisan and demographic groups, voters say these policies are important. Additionally, a majority of voters (53%) believe that policies implemented at the city and community level can be somewhat or very effective in addressing climate change and mitigating its impacts.
In Ann Arbor's Democratic Mayoral Primary, Voters Back Challenger Yousef Rabhi — and Public Control of Their Electricity
On Aug. 4, voters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, will go to the polls to select their Democratic nominee for mayor — a matchup between incumbent Mayor Christopher Taylor and challenger Yousef Rabhi, Washtenaw County commissioner and former state legislator. From July 17–20, Data for Progress and Lead Locally conducted a survey of likely Democratic primary voters in Ann Arbor.
Voters Have Low Trust in ICE, Trust Civilian Witnesses More in Houston Shooting
In January, the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge targeted Minneapolis with an influx of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, resulting in the deaths of two civilians. Data for Progress polling at the time found that a majority of voters thought ICE was not justified in killing Minneapolis woman Renee Good, and also found that the two ICE killings led to a major surge in unfavorable views toward ICE.
Voters Show Strong Support for Regulating AI to Protect Workers
The rapid expansion of the use of AI has sparked concern about its impacts on the American economy and workers. As AI threatens to replace human workers and increases uncertainty in the U.S. job market, voters are seeking measures to regulate AI in the workplace. A new Data for Progress poll examined public support for policy proposals to regulate AI and assist workers displaced by the technology.
A Majority of Voters Support Worker Protections Against Extreme Heat
Extreme heat is especially dangerous for workers, particularly those who labor outside. Many workers do not have access to — or employers simply do not provide — air-conditioned work environments, transportation that protects them from the heat, cooling or water breaks, or shade. As a result, extreme heat is one of the leading contributors to injuries and deaths on the job, particularly when temperatures exceed 90 F.
The Democratic Establishment Is Out of Step With Democratic Voters on DSA
By Ryan O’Donnell Despite the constant chaos from the White House, there is a lot to be excited about in Democratic politics. Data for Progress was proud to be the only pollster that forecast both of the recent upset primary challenges to Democratic incumbents — first Darializa Avila Chevalier’s victory in New York’s 13th Congressional District, and then Melat Kiros’ victory in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District.
Voters Support a Data Center Moratorium
Artificial intelligence (AI) and the data centers that power it pose tremendous potential for economic growth, but also serious risks to American jobs, the environment, and social well-being. Previous Data for Progress polling has found that most voters think AI will increase unemployment in the U.S. and support regulations to give workers decision-making authority over how AI is used in the workplace.
Voters Prefer Pro-LGBTQ+ Candidates and Policies Aimed at Supporting Youth
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community’s history, culture, and contributions. And yet, President Donald Trump has not formally recognized the occasion as he did in his first term. In fact, several Republican-led states have designated June “Nuclear Family Month.” Public opinion has shifted right on LGBTQ+ issues over the last several years, largely concentrated among self-identified Republicans.
Platner’s Populist Energy Plan Commands Bipartisan Support Nationwide
As Americans face rising utility bills and prices at the pump, energy is a central issue in many midterm election campaigns.
Attack Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the Weakest Point in His Record: Medicaid Cuts
By Matthew Cortland Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement may initially seem compelling to many people. As Kennedy has repeatedly pointed out, in recent decades rates of diet-related chronic disease in the U.S. have climbed, Americans are consuming more prescription drugs than ever, and the food we eat is increasingly artificial. Look closer, however, and Kennedy’s actual agenda is grotesque, unpopular, and unmistakably eugenicist.
Polling on Voters' Most Heard News Stories (May 2026)
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Senator Jeff Merkley: Congress Can End the Illegal War in Iran With the Upcoming Munitions Fight
Voters want Congress to rein in this reckless president. It is not hard to understand why. Trump’s war has strengthened the Iranian government’s hardliners while weakening its reformers and failed to recover Iran’s highly enriched nuclear materials. In addition, it has cost the lives of 13 U.S. servicemembers so far. And it has claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Iranian civilians, including 175 people, most of them children, killed in a missile strike on a girls’ elementary school.
Voters Say Their Top Priority in the Iran War Is Ending It
On April 17, a day after a 10-day ceasefire was reached between Israel and Lebanon, President Donald Trump declared that the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely open and ready for business.” Oil prices dropped by nearly 12%, and Trump stated that the war in Iran “should be ending pretty soon.” While this seemed like a turning point, just one day later Iran reinstated its closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the Trump administration maintained its blockade on Iranian ports.
Voters Support Multiple Pro-Worker Measures to Regulate AI
Finally, voters were asked whether they agree or disagree with multiple measures to increase worker control over AI in the workplace and require employers to be transparent about how they use AI.
Voters Support a Progressive Agenda Focused on Lowering Costs and Taking on Corporations
Donald Trump won the 2024 election on a pledge to lower costs, but the cost of living has gone up for many American families under his presidency. From skyrocketing gas prices to rising energy costs to increasing healthcare premiums, the electorate is understandably sour on the state of the economy. In a new survey, Data for Progress tested 11 policies being championed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, aimed at lowering costs and reducing the power of large corporations.
Senator Tammy Baldwin: You Shouldn’t Have to Pay $1,500 a Year to Watch Your Favorite Teams
By Senator Tammy Baldwin In January, the Green Bay Packers had a playoff game on a Saturday night. Wisconsinites put their wings in the oven, cracked open a Miller Lite, and sat down to put on the game — something Americans of all stripes can relate to. But scrolling channel after channel, the game was nowhere to be found. After an online search, many Wisconsinites learned that the game was not actually on TV.
This Earth Day, Two-Thirds of Voters Say Ensuring Clean Air and Water for All Should Be a Top Priority
On April 22, 1970, — 10% of the U.S. population at the time — took to the streets to protest against pollution, marking the first Earth Day. New polling from Data for Progress finds that more than 60% of U.S. voters say Earth Day is important to them personally, including majorities of Democrats (73%), Independents (60%), and Republicans (53%). Support for protecting the Earth’s air and water is also high across party lines.
Voters Disapprove of Trump on Iran as Independents Back His Removal Over "Dying Civilization" Threat
As negotiations with Iran over an end to the war continue, President Donald Trump's handling of the war is drawing growing public disapproval. New polling from Data for Progress finds that Trump's approval on Iran has declined since March — and a clear majority of Independents say Trump should be removed from office over his threat to destroy Iranian civilization. In mid-March, voters disapproved of Trump's handling of the conflict with Iran by a -9-point net margin.
Polling on ICE Funding (March 2026)
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Polling on Gas Price Increases (March 2026)
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Voters Strongly Oppose Boots on the Ground in Iran, Think the War Is Not Worth It
When asked what they consider to be the main reason for the U.S. carrying out military strikes against Iran, voters are widely split. About 1 in 4 respondents attribute the U.S. strikes mainly to defending America’s national security (28%) or to pursuing American economic and energy interests (25%), while more than 1 in 10 attribute the strikes to advancing Israeli interests (16%) or promoting human rights and democracy in Iran (14%). There is notable variation in these results by partisanship.
The Voters Who Delivered Trump's 2024 Victory Are Fleeing His Coalition the Fastest
By Cici Bisogno Donald Trump was elected in November 2024 with a new coalition of voters, driven by particularly sharp swings to the right among young men, voters of color, and those who are politically disengaged.
Polling on Trump's Proposal to Nationalize Elections (March 2026)
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Public Opinion on Artificial Intelligence Varies Widely by Age, Gender, Race, and Frequency of Use
Over the past several years, artificial intelligence (AI) technology has become a fixture of everyday life for millions of Americans, from engaging with chatbots to viewing AI-generated content online. Technology companies have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in AI, and it drove up to 80% of U.S. stock gains in 2025, according to one estimate. Meanwhile, lawmakers in Washington remain divided over whether and how to regulate the technology.
Polling on Voters' Most Heard News Stories (February 2026)
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Polling on Trump and Fascism (February 2026)
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ICE Unpopularity Soars, Voters Support Impeaching Kristi Noem
The survey also finds that three key figures driving the Trump administration’s immigration policy are viewed unfavorably: U.S. Border Patrol officer Gregory Bovino (-9-point net favorability), White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (-11), and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem (-13). “Border czar” Tom Homan is viewed favorably by 25% of voters and also unfavorably by 25% of voters.
Voters Do Not Want the U.S. to Acquire Greenland
After invading Venezuela to oust its leader and begin “running” the country, the Trump administration set its sights on Greenland. On January 21, after threatening to use military force to annex the island, President Donald Trump announced a “framework of a future deal” over Greenland. Trump continues to claim that the U.S. will have “total access” to Greenland, while European officials stress that Greenland will remain under Danish control.
A Majority of Voters Are Unfavorable of ICE, Are Divided on What “Abolish ICE” Means
Cover photo attributable to . Survey Methodology From January 16 to 20, 2026, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,225 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and recalled presidential vote. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±3 percentage points.
Polling on a Free Child Care Program (January 2025)
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Polling on Grading the Economy (January 2025)
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Voters Don’t Think Bombing Boats in the Caribbean or Removing Venezuelan President Maduro From Power Should Be a Top Priority for Trump
Over the last several months, the Trump administration has escalated its military activity in the Caribbean Sea as part of a pressure campaign against Venezuela and its president, Nicolás Maduro. The United States has positioned a fleet of warships, its largest military carrier, and thousands of troops off the coast of Venezuela. At the same time, the administration has conducted strikes on boats in the Caribbean that it alleges are carrying drug traffickers, killing over 80 people.
Voters Largely Do Not Support Restricting Speech, Are Concerned About Trump’s NSPM-7 Memo
By Jenna Scarbrough and Lew Blank In September, President Donald Trump published a National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7) to address recent events involving political violence, citing the death of Charlie Kirk, protesters attacking ICE agents, and Trump’s own assassination attempts. This memo lays the groundwork for the federal government to redefine what “domestic terrorism and organized political violence” mean.
Polling on December Congressional Actions (December 2025)
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Polling on Party Extremism (December 2025)
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Polling on Airline Delay Compensation (December 2025)
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Medicare for All Is Popular — Even When Put Up Against Attacks
Americans are consistently saying that the cost of living is their top concern, and health care prices, in particular, are set to soar in 2026 — with employers expected to face the largest price increase in more than a decade. This comes as Americans already spend far more than any other country on health care, despite having some of the worst rates of life expectancy and infant mortality among wealthy nations.
Polling on Trump's AI Executive Order (November 2025)
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IL-09 Democratic Primary Poll Shows Early Leaders Four Months Out From Election Day
With the announced retirement of Jan Schakowsky, the Democratic primary race to fill her seat in Congress has seen a surge of candidate announcements, resulting in a crowded field of options for primary voters in her Chicago-area district. From October 29 to November 3, Data for Progress, in partnership with The Justice Coalition Action, surveyed 569 likely Democratic primary voters in Illinois’s 9th Congressional District.
Voters Are Worried About Crypto’s Impacts on Local Economies and Politics
By Anika Dandekar Cryptocurrency has rapidly grown into a major industry and is increasingly intertwined with politics. While President Donald Trump has promoted crypto expansion and uptake, critics have highlighted crypto’s potential risks and harms. New Data for Progress polling finds voters across parties are concerned about potential consumer losses, harms to the broader economy, and the industry’s growing political influence.
HI-01 Voters Are Largely Undecided in the Democratic Primary, Narrowly Favor Ed Case
Representative Ed Case, a Democrat who has represented Hawai’i’s 1st Congressional District since 2019, is facing primary challenges this election cycle from state Rep. Della Au Belatti and state Senator Jarrett Keohokalole.
Voters Disapprove of Recent ICE Actions, Support a Progressive Immigration Agenda
Donald Trump is on track to set the record for most deportations in a year by a U.S. president — a campaign that has involved night raids, grueling detainment conditions, the deaths of more than a dozen people in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, and harsh actions against protestors, including the use of body-slamming, rubber bullets, and tear gas.
Voters Are Highly Favorable of SNAP, Want Trump to Continue Providing Food Stamp Benefits
On October 24, the Trump administration’s Department of Agriculture announced that it will stop providing food stamp benefits to more than 41 million Americans as part of an effort to pressure Senate Democrats to vote for a Republican bill to reopen the federal government. This week, the administration said it will use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reserve funds to provide some food stamp benefits — but at only about half the normal rate.
Voters Nationwide Support Mamdani Policies, Want the Government to Play a “Major Role” in Lowering Costs
By Ryan O’Donnell The November 2025 elections yielded undeniably strong results for the Democratic Party — winning both high-profile gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, successfully passing Prop 50 in California to redraw the state’s congressional map ahead of 2026, retaining three state Supreme Court seats in Pennsylvania, and flipping two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission. And yet, the most high-profile race of the night was in New York City.
Markey Leads Moulton in 2026 Primary for Senator in Massachusetts
In October, Democratic Representative Seth Moulton, a 47-year-old centrist, launched a primary challenge against the more progressive, 79-year-old incumbent Ed Markey for the 2026 Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. From October 23-26, Data for Progress surveyed 652 likely Democratic primary voters in Massachusetts using SMS and web panel respondents. The poll finds Markey leading the primary.
Data for Progress Will Use Polling to Lead, Not Follow
By Ryan O’Donnell America’s institutions are being tested in real time. In less than a year, Trump has fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner, threatened the Federal Reserve chair, slashed university funding, and ruthlessly attacked the free press. Under a president hell-bent on dismantling our democracy and squashing opposition, public opinion research remains an essential tool we have to hold Trump accountable and develop strategies to fight back.
Voters Have Mixed Views on Modernity and Think Life in the U.S. Is Getting Worse
The U.S. becoming a more multicultural and diverse country (+50) The U.S. joining international organizations like NATO and the World Trade Organization (+49) Americans’ increased access to retail giants like Amazon, Walmart, and Dollar General (+46) The U.S. economy becoming more globally interconnected (+37) Americans increasingly living in suburban developments (+35) Much of Americans’ food being produced and delivered through an efficient, global supply chain (+22) Many Americans delaying...
Voters Think America’s Problems Are More Economic Than Cultural - Except Men Who Voted for Trump
By Lew Blank Donald Trump’s victory in 2024 was punctuated by a particularly sharp shift rightward among young men. While rising costs were voters’ top issue this past election, some have argued that the shift to Trump among young men — and a similar shift in Europe, where rising support for the far right has been most pronounced among young men — is driven by something deeper.
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