The shooting of Charlie Kirk has sent shockwaves through American society, and a new Quinnipiac University poll reveals his murder on a college campus has shaken public confidence in our democratic institutions.
- The numbers paint a picture of a nation grappling with mounting fears about the future of civil discourse.
A Nation in Crisis
Nearly 8 in 10 voters (79%) now say the United States is in a political crisis. Democrats lead at 93%, followed by 84% of independents, but even 60% of Republicans share this view.
- The concern over politically motivated violence has intensified, with 71% of voters now consider politically motivated violence a severe problem—a significant jump from just 54% who felt this way in June.
Free Speech Under Threat
For the first time in recent polling, more Americans are pessimistic (53%) than optimistic (43%) about the nation’s free speech protections, a complete reversal from six months ago when 54% were optimistic about speech protections.
Democracy in Question
The poll reveals that 53% of voters believe the system of democracy in the United States is not working. The partisan divide is stark: 74% of Democrats and 61% of independents say democracy isn’t working, while 74% of Republicans believe it is.
Political Discourse Drives Violence
The poll found 82% of voters believe the way people talk about politics contributes to violence. As Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy noted, this represents “a rare meeting of the minds” among Republicans, Democrats, and independents.
- Despite this recognition, Americans are pessimistic about solutions. Nearly 6 in 10 voters (58%) think it will not be possible to lower the temperature on political rhetoric, while a majority (54%) expects political violence to worsen over the next few years.
Looking Forward
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has served as a tragic catalyst, laying bare what Malloy described as “raw, bipartisan concerns about where the country is headed.”
- The poll data suggests Americans recognize the severity of our current moment but feel powerless to address it.
Read the poll results.
Possible Role for UWF
In my Outtakes column this week, I suggest the University of West Florida could provide the perfect place to hold difficult community conversation.
During my interview with Saunders after she stepped down in July, she talked about UWF being a “marketplace of ideas.” She said, “If we can’t have those conversations in a controlled environment like a university, who else can set that model?”
Saunders added, “We did a lot of things on some really tough issues. We focused on civil discourse and intentionally set up student exchanges on hot topics that we knew everybody had an opinion about.”
The column outlined how UWF did it under her leadership. Read A Better Way.
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