Majority of Americans expect political violence to worsen, new poll finds

A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that a strong majority of voters believe the United States is facing a political crisis, with concerns over political violence rising sharply in the wake of the assassination of conservative Christian activist and patriot Charlie Kirk.

The survey, released Thursday, found that 79% of voters say the country is in a political crisis, compared with 18% who say it is not. Concern was expressed across the political spectrum, with 93% of Democrats, 84% of independents, and 60% of Republicans saying the nation is in crisis.

Worries about politically motivated violence have escalated significantly. Seventy-one percent of voters now describe political violence as a “very serious problem,” up from 54% in a similar Quinnipiac poll conducted on June 26. Another 22% see it as a “somewhat serious” problem, while only 4% view it as minor or not a problem at all.

When asked about the future, 54% of respondents said they expect political violence to worsen in the coming years. Twenty-seven percent think it will remain at current levels, and just 14% believe it will decline. Nearly six in 10 voters (58%) said they do not think it will be possible to lower the temperature of political rhetoric in the United States.

A broad consensus also emerged around the link between rhetoric and violence. Eighty-two percent of voters said the way people talk about politics contributes to violence, compared with 15% who said it does not.

Concerns over freedom of speech have shifted as well. Fifty-three percent of voters now say they are pessimistic about free speech being protected in the United States, while 43% are optimistic.

In contrast, Quinnipiac’s March 13 poll saw those numbers reversed, with a majority expressing optimism.

While not infallible, the Quinnipiac University Poll is one of the most established and frequently cited polling organizations in the country, operating since 1988. It conducts independent, non-partisan surveys on elections, public policy, and issues like presidential approval ratings, funded entirely by the university without outside clients.

The poll uses “gold standard” methodology, such as random digit dialing both for landlines and cell phones, live interviewers (often students and locals), bilingual (English/Spanish) questioning, and rigorous weighting for demographics.

It surveys about 1,000-1,500 adults per poll, focusing on registered and likely voters near elections. Results are shared widely with outlets like The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, and Reuters, and archived with the Roper Center.