YouGov finds Republicans’ views of inflation and election fraud as 'very serious' collapse year‑over‑year (inflation 89%→48%; fraud 59%→33%) while Democrats’ inflation concern rises (45%→71%). This suggests a partisan 'thermostat' where perceptions of national problems adjust to who holds the presidency, not just to underlying conditions.
— If issue seriousness is power‑contingent, policymakers and journalists should discount salience polls as barometers of reality and expect agenda priorities to swing with partisan control.
2025.10.09
62% relevant
The poll shows perceptions shifting markedly within months: in January 2025, 30% predicted more political violence; now 68% say there has been more. Similar jumps occur for domestic military force (47% predicted vs 69% now). These swings underscore how public assessments of national problems adjust under a new presidency.
2025.09.23
70% relevant
The YouGov poll finds that since Trump’s second term began, Democrats and independents increasingly say free speech is in a bad state and view government as the main threat, while Republicans’ initially improved views later decline—mirroring how issue salience and concern often track who controls the presidency.
2025.09.19
72% relevant
YouGov finds 83% of Democrats now say government doesn’t do enough for families vs 50% in Feb 2023 under Biden, mirroring the 'thermostat' effect where concern rises when the other party governs; Republicans’ view (29% now vs 28% then) barely moved.
2025.09.17
50% relevant
The survey shows Democrats are roughly twice as likely as Republicans to say presidents are never deterred by legal blocks (22% vs 10%), consistent with opposition‑party pessimism under a Republican president and the broader 'thermostat' pattern of issue perceptions shifting with power.
2025.09.16
60% relevant
The poll reports Trump’s net approval on jobs/economy at −22 and on inflation at −34—new lows for his second term—contrasting with his usually positive first‑term economy ratings, consistent with the pattern that issue perceptions shift against the incumbent party.
2025.09.10
63% relevant
The poll shows perceptions of Trump’s age/health are sharply partisan (Democrats 80% say too old; Republicans 78% say not too old) and concerns rose after he assumed office, consistent with issue salience and problem perceptions shifting with who holds power.
2025.09.09
82% relevant
The poll reports Democrats overwhelmingly expect higher inflation in six months (74% higher vs. 2% lower) while Republicans are more likely to expect lower inflation (37% lower vs. 25% higher). This mirrors the documented pattern that issue salience and perceived seriousness adjust with which party holds the presidency.
2025.09.03
60% relevant
Issue salience shifts in the poll—immigration as 'most important issue' falling from 16% (Mar 2024) to 7% now and 'civil rights' rising among Democrats since Trump’s second term—fit the pattern that what voters prioritize changes with who holds power.
2025.08.26
75% relevant
The article notes that partisan differences in perceiving rising crime were larger under Obama/Biden but are smaller when Trump is president, aligning with evidence that issue salience and perceived severity track who controls the White House rather than objective conditions.
2025.08.25
100% relevant
The 2024→2025 shifts in YouGov’s 'very serious problem' measures for inflation and election fraud by party.