Steven Shepard
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Associate director for political research @pewresearch. Former @politico. Once a @NJHotline-er, always a @NJHotline-er.
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Articles by Steven Shepard
Who Sees Themselves as Working Class?
August 31, 2026 Photos, left to right: Al Drago, Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo, Katina Zentz, Jeffrey Greenberg, Paul Bersebach and Raquel Natalicchio all via Getty Images. Photo illustration by Pew Research Center. Most Americans think of themselves as “working class” today: Overall, 60% of U.S. adults say the term describes them well.
Williston 250 — a local look back at 1776
It is the fall of 1776 in the newly settled, occasionally dangerous, sparsely populated frontier wilderness that will become the Town of Williston in the Republic of Vermont. Statehood is still 15 years away, and in July 1777, Vermont adopts its own constitution. For the duration of the Revolutionary War, it exists as a sovereign nation.
Methodology
Data in this report comes from Wave 192 of the American Trends Panel (ATP), Pew Research Center’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. The survey was conducted April 20-26, 2026. A total of 5,103 panelists responded out of 5,898 who were sampled, for a survey-level response rate of 87%. The cumulative response rate accounting for nonresponse to the recruitment surveys and attrition is 3%.
Acknowledgments
This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Jocelyn Kiley, Director, Political Research Steven Shepard, Associate Director, Political Research Hannah Hartig, Senior Researcher Baxter Oliphant, Senior Researcher Gabe Borelli, Research Associate Andrew Daniller, Research Associate Andy Cerda, Research Analyst Shanay Gracia, Research Analyst Ted Van Green, Research Analyst Nida Asheer, Senior Communications Manager DeVonte Smith,...
Americans See Health Care Costs, Deficit, Inflation as Big Problems Facing the Nation
About this research This Pew Research Center analysis examines Americans’ views of problems facing the country. Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues for decades. Learn more about Pew Research Center. We surveyed 5,103 U.S. adults from April 20 to 26, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel.
Acknowledgments | Pew Research Center
This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Jocelyn Kiley, Director, Political Research Steven Shepard, Associate Director, Political Research Hannah Hartig, Senior Researcher Baxter Oliphant, Senior Researcher Gabe Borelli, Research Associate Andrew Daniller, Research Associate Andy Cerda, Research Analyst Shanay Gracia, Research Analyst Ted Van Green, Research Analyst Nida Asheer, Senior Communications Manager DeVonte Smith,...
Methodology | Pew Research Center
Data in this report comes from Wave 192 of the American Trends Panel (ATP), Pew Research Center’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. The survey was conducted April 20-26, 2026. A total of 5,103 panelists responded out of 5,898 who were sampled, for a survey-level response rate of 87%. The cumulative response rate accounting for nonresponse to the recruitment surveys and attrition is 3%.
Trump Loses Ground on Several Personal Traits as Approval Rating Slips
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on his “no tax on tips” policy at the AC Hotel Las Vegas Symphony Park in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 16, 2026. (Jim WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) About this research This Pew Research Center analysis examines Americans’ views of Trump and the two major parties. Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics.
Democrats and Republicans place more importance on advancing own policies than finding common ground
About this research This Pew Research Center analysis examines Americans’ views of Trump and the two major parties. Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues, including views of the president, for decades. Learn more about Pew Research Center. We surveyed 5,103 U.S. adults from April 20 to 26, 2026.
Americans continue to view both the Republican and Democratic parties negatively
About this research This Pew Research Center analysis examines Americans’ views of Trump and the two major parties. Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues, including views of the president, for decades. Learn more about Pew Research Center. We surveyed 5,103 U.S. adults from April 20 to 26, 2026.
Americans Broadly Disapprove of U.S. Military Action in Iran
Americans Broadly Disapprove of U.S. Military Action in Iran Published March 28, 2026 Weeks into the U.S. military campaign against Iran, majorities of Americans say striking that country was the wrong decision and disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict. About six-in-ten Americans (61%) disapprove of Trump’s handling of the conflict, while 37% approve.
Acknowledgments | Pew Research Center
This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Jocelyn Kiley, Director, Political Research Steven Shepard, Associate Director, Political Research Hannah Hartig, Senior Researcher Baxter Oliphant, Senior Researcher Gabe Borelli, Research Associate Andrew Daniller, Research Associate Andy Cerda, Research Analyst Shanay Gracia, Research Analyst Ted Van Green, Research Analyst Nida Asheer, Senior Communications Manager DeVonte Smith,...
Methodology | Pew Research Center
Data in this report comes from Wave 189 of the American Trends Panel (ATP), Pew Research Center’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. The survey was conducted from March 16 to March 22, 2026. A total of 3,524 panelists responded out of 4,053 who were sampled, for a survey-level response rate of 87%. The cumulative response rate accounting for nonresponse to the recruitment surveys and attrition is 3%.
Americans Broadly Disapprove of U.S. Military Action in Iran
About this research This Pew Research Center analysis examines Americans’ views of the U.S. military action against Iran, which began in February 2026. Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues, including the use of U.S. military force, for decades. Learn more about Pew Research Center. We surveyed 3,524 U.S. adults from March 16 to 22, 2026.
Acknowledgments
This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Jocelyn Kiley, Director, Political Research Steven Shepard, Associate Director, Political Research Hannah Hartig, Senior Researcher Baxter Oliphant, Senior Researcher Gabe Borelli, Research Associate Andrew Daniller, Research Associate Andy Cerda, Research Analyst Joseph Copeland, Research Analyst Shanay Gracia,Research Analyst Ted Van Green, Research Analyst Asta Kallo, Research Assistant Nida...
Americans largely disapprove of Trump’s tariff increases
About this research This Pew Research Center report looks at how the U.S. public feels about the economy, their concerns over economic issues and how Trump’s policies are effecting economic conditions. Pew Research Center does research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues, including the economy, for decades. Learn more about Pew Research Center and our politics research.
Methodology
Data in this report comes from Wave 185 of the American Trends Panel (ATP), Pew Research Center’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. The survey was conducted from Jan. 20 to Jan. 26, 2026. A total of 8,512 panelists responded out of 9,302 who were sampled, for a survey-level response rate of 92%. The cumulative response rate accounting for all stages of nonresponse and attrition is 3%.
A Year Into Trump’s Second Term, Americans’ Views of the Economy Remain Negative
About this research This Pew Research Center report looks at how the U.S. public feels about the economy, their concerns over economic issues and how Trump’s policies are effecting economic conditions. Pew Research Center does research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues, including the economy, for decades. Learn more about Pew Research Center and our politics research.
Few Americans support a US takeover of Greenland proposed by Trump
By a more than two-to-one margin, Americans oppose President Donald Trump’s proposal to take over Greenland from Danish control. About this research This Pew Research Center analysis examines Americans’ views of President Donald Trump’s proposed U.S. takeover of Greenland. Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans’ views of politics and major policy issues for decades.
How Americans feel about the Republican and Democratic parties
Americans largely have negative feelings toward both political parties, while positive sentiments are far less common. Three-quarters of U.S. adults say the Democratic Party makes them feel frustrated, while a smaller majority (64%) says the same of the Republican Party. Roughly half of Americans also say the Democratic Party (50%) and the Republican Party (49%) make them feel angry.
How well the Republican and Democratic parties represent Americans’ interests
About four-in-ten U.S. adults (42%) say the Republican Party represents the interests of people like them very or somewhat well. A similar share (40%) say this about the Democratic Party. But majorities say the Republican Party (56%) and Democratic Party (58%) do not represent the interests of people like them. Combining these measures: 33% of adults say they feel well-represented by the Republican Party, but not by the Democratic Party.
How Americans see the parties on key issues
All in all, Americans don’t see many good ideas from either political party. But when it comes to specific issues, the Republican Party holds advantages on crime and immigration, while the Democratic Party holds advantages on policies related to race, health care, abortion and the environment. In contrast to a few years ago, neither party now holds a clear edge on economic policy.
Acknowledgments
This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Jocelyn Kiley, Director, Political Research Steven Shepard, Associate Director, Political Research Hannah Hartig, Senior Researcher Baxter Oliphant, Senior Researcher Gabe Borelli, Research Associate Andrew Daniller, Research Associate Andy Cerda, Research Analyst Joseph Copeland, Research Analyst Shanay Gracia, Research Analyst Ted Van Green, Research Analyst Nida Asheer, Senior Communications...
What Americans want and expect from party leaders
Wide majorities of Americans say it is important that both Republican and Democratic elected officials are knowledgeable and admit when they are wrong. Smaller majorities say it is very important that elected officials in both parties be willing to make compromises with the other party and treat their counterparts with respect.
A Year Ahead of the Midterms, Americans’ Dim Views of Both Parties
How we did this Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand how Americans feel about the Republican and Democratic parties. This analysis seeks to examine the public’s feelings about the behavior of party leaders, party issues and how well each of the major parties represent Americans. For this analysis, we surveyed 3,445 U.S. adults from Sept. 22 to 28, 2025.
Methodology
Data in this report comes from Wave 180 of the American Trends Panel (ATP), Pew Research Center’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. The survey was conducted from Sept. 22 to 28, 2025. A total of 3,445 panelists responded out of 3,926 who were sampled, for a survey-level response rate of 88%. The cumulative response rate accounting for nonresponse to the recruitment surveys and attrition is 3%.
Most Americans think Trump is trying to exercise more power than previous presidents
Around seven-in-ten Americans (69%) say President Donald Trump is trying to exert more power than his predecessors. And most of those who say this describe Trump’s efforts as a bad thing for the country. Overall, 49% of U.S. adults say Trump is trying to exercise more presidential power than previous presidents and that this is bad for the country. A much smaller share (12%) say he is trying to use more power and view this as good for the country.
2. Americans’ views of Israelis, Palestinians and their political leadership
Americans express more favorable than unfavorable views of both the Israeli people and the Palestinian people. But views of political leadership in the region – the Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas – are more negative than positive. Nearly six-in-ten Americans (59%) now have an unfavorable view of the Israeli government, while 68% view the Palestinian Authority negatively and 84% have an unfavorable view of Hamas.
Concerns about the conflict between Israel and Hamas
At least half of Americans express a high level of concern about several aspects of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza – including starvation among Palestinians living there (55% say they are extremely or very concerned), Israeli military strikes killing Palestinian civilians (53%) and the remaining Israeli hostages not being returned to Israel (51%). However, Republicans and Democrats hold differing levels of concern about some aspects of the conflict.
Methodology
Data in this report comes from Wave 180 of the American Trends Panel (ATP), Pew Research Center’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. The survey was conducted from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28, 2025. A total of 3,445 panelists responded out of 3,926 who were sampled, for a survey-level response rate of 88%. The cumulative response rate accounting for nonresponse to the recruitment surveys and attrition is 3%.
Acknowledgments
This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Jocelyn Kiley, Director, Political Research Steven Shepard, Associate Director, Political Research Hannah Hartig, Senior Researcher Baxter Oliphant, Senior Researcher Gabe Borelli, Research Associate Andrew Daniller, Research Associate Andy Cerda, Research Analyst Joseph Copeland, Research Analyst Shanay Gracia, Research Analyst Ted Van Green, Research Analyst Rolando Ortega, Intern Nida...
How Americans view Trump administration response to Israel-Hamas conflict
More Americans disapprove (42%) than approve (30%) of the Trump administration’s response to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. About a quarter (27%) say they are unsure. And 36% of Americans say President Donald Trump is favoring Israel too much in the conflict (up from 31% in March), while 23% say he is striking the right balance. Few (2%) say he is favoring the Palestinians too much. More than a third – 38% – say they are not sure.
How Americans View the Israel-Hamas Conflict 2 Years Into the War
How we did this Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand Americans’ views of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas. For this analysis, we surveyed 3,445 adults from Sept. 22 to 28, 2025. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), a group of people recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses who have agreed to take surveys regularly.
Acknowledgments
This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals: Jocelyn Kiley, Director, Political Research Steven Shepard, Associate Director, Political Research Hannah Hartig, Senior Researcher Baxter Oliphant, Senior Researcher Gabe Borelli, Research Associate Andrew Daniller, Research Associate Andy Cerda, Research Analyst Joseph Copeland, Research Analyst Shanay Gracia, Research Analyst Ted Van Green, Research Analyst Rolando Ortega, Former Intern Nida...
Methodology
Data in this report comes from Wave 176 of the American Trends Panel (ATP), Pew Research Center’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. The survey was conducted Aug. 4-10, 2025. A total of 3,554 panelists responded out of 3,784 who were sampled, for a survey-level response rate of 94%. The cumulative response rate accounting for nonresponse to the recruitment surveys and attrition is 3%.
Majority of Americans Continue to Back Expanded Early Voting, Voting by Mail, Voter ID
A ballot drop-off box in Denver on March 25, 2024. (Marc Piscotty/Getty Images) How we did this Pew Research Center conducted this study to understand how Americans view voting policies and procedures in the United States. For this analysis, we surveyed 3,554 adults from Aug. 4 to 10, 2025.
Majority of Americans Continue to Back Expanded Early Voting, Voting by Mail, Voter ID
A ballot drop-off box in Denver on March 25, 2024. (Marc Piscotty/Getty Images) How we did this Pew Research Center conducted this study to understand how Americans view voting policies and procedures in the United States. For this analysis, we surveyed 3,554 adults from Aug. 4 to 10, 2025.
Ann Selzer leaving election polling after Iowa whiff
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Ann Selzer leaving election polling after Iowa whiff Original
The legendary pollster is ending her relationship with the Des Moines Register, which dates back to 1997. “Over a year ago I advised the Register I would not renew when my 2024 contract expired with the latest election poll as I transition to other ventures and opportunities,” J. Ann Selzer wrote in an op-ed for the newspaper. | Gabe Fleisher/Wake Up To Politics Two weeks after her firm incorrectly found Vice President Kamala Harris surging in increasingly red Iowa, pollster J.
The diminishing path to a Democratic House majority runs through California
Hudson, in a Wednesday interview on Fox News, credited the party’s performance largely to President-elect Donald Trump, calling him “a net positive everywhere across the country for Republicans.” One Republican working closely on House races believes that, at worst, the party will lose only one seat, and that the GOP could pick up a seat or two.
The diminishing path to a Democratic House majority runs through CA
LOS ANGELES — Democrats’ dream of blocking a Republican governing trifecta is dwindling down to a handful of West Coast races, as California’s large cache of still-untallied ballots and its notoriously slow count now take center stage in the national political drama. The party had long seen the nation’s two blue bulwarks — New York and California — as the decisive staging ground for their quest to retake the House majority.
2024 Election Live News: Real-time updates and analysis from the campaigns for president, Congress and more
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43 mins ago Sen. Bernie Sanders said “it should come as no great surprise” that working people abandoned Kamala Harris for Donald Trump in the 2024 election and vowed “some very serious political discussions” in the weeks ahead.
By Kyle Cheney Verified, Greta Reich, Katherine Tully-McManus Verified, Ally Mutnick Verified, Nicholas Wu Verified, Emmy Martin, Brakkton Booker Verified, Eric Bazail-Eimil Verified, Kierra Frazier Verified, Declan Harty Verified, Brittany Gibson Verified, Anthony Adragna Verified, Sue Allan Verified, Olivia Beavers Verified, Ursula Perano, Madison Fernandez Verified, Ben Leonard, Andrew Howard, Daniella Diaz Verified, Steven Shepard Verified, Myah Ward Verified, Zach Montellaro Verified
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POLITICO
Verified
Donald Trump defied the pollsters again. Can they figure out what’s broken?
11 mins ago The pollsters missed the mark again. Tuesday was the third consecutive presidential election in which those tasked with measuring the mood of the American electorate failed to capture Donald Trump’s support. All across the battlegrounds, in the Rust Belt and Sun Belt both, tied races in pre-election polls turned into decisive Trump victories or sizable Trump leads as the votes were tallied. Kamala Harris’ supposed strength in Iowa, of all places? It wasn’t real.
Trump's stunning comeback: 6 takeaways from his resounding win Original
Trump’s 2016 victory felt like a historical accident. Tuesday feels like a realignment. For a politician whose first victory was powered almost exclusively by white voters, Trump in this election assembled a remarkably diverse coalition driven by his unique appeal — or perhaps Harris’ unique vulnerabilities — among men. According to the network exit polls, nearly one in five Trump voters on Tuesday were people of color.
POLITICO's hour-by-hour guide for watching election results Original
Here is your hour-by-hour guide to Election Day — whether the race ends that night or not (all times Eastern; note the battleground states are bolded): 5 a.m. Eastern — The first voting begins The first polls will open beginning at 5 a.m. in some Vermont towns, even though technically, the first Election Day votes are cast at midnight in the small town of Dixville, New Hampshire — home to six registered voters (four Republicans and two independents).
2024 Election Live News: Real-time updates and analysis from the campaigns for president, Congress and more
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Donald Trump’s political future is hanging in the balance of the presidential election this week. A major chunk of his fortune may be, too. The former president currently boasts an estimated net worth of $5.6 billion, which he built up through his real estate dealings, years as a reality television star and, most recently, a majority stake in the parent company of Truth Social.
By Shia Kapos Verified, Greta Reich, Natalie Allison Verified, Ursula Perano, Adam Cancryn Verified, Megan Messerly Verified, John Sakellariadis Verified, Josh Gerstein Verified, Declan Harty Verified, Steven Shepard Verified, Meredith Lee Verified
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POLITICO
Verified
Donald Trump’s path to winning the election Original
And just as they did in 2016 and 2020, the polls could be underestimating Trump in the three Blue Wall states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The polls there are tied — but if recent history is any guide, that means Trump is actually likely ahead. Even in defeat in 2020, Trump activated a segment of the electorate that pollsters missed, either because they didn’t participate in polls or because their low levels of political engagement led to their exclusion from likely voter models.
Kamala Harris’s path to winning the election Original
The vice president’s paid-media campaign, along with her allies’, has been laser-focused on two themes: positioning Harris as a middle-class champion (and Trump as out for himself and other rich people), and protecting abortion rights. That is helping Harris close the gap with Trump on handling voters’ No. 1 issue: the economy. And abortion rights and Trump’s history of misogynistic statements is fueling a historic gender gap.
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