Nation divided over its values ahead of midterms

By the Editorial Team · Monday, October 26, 2026

A Gallup/With Honor poll of 3,199 U.S. adults reveals sharp partisan divides over core national values, with Republicans prioritizing patriotism, Democrats emphasizing equality, and widespread skepticism about shared values across political lines. These deepening divides and growing mutual distrust highlight the challenges for bipartisan cooperation and national unity as the midterm elections approach.

As the United States approaches its midterm elections, a recent national survey highlights deep partisan divides over the country’s core values and growing mutual distrust between political groups. Conducted online from May 12 to 22, the Gallup/With Honor poll of 3,199 adults reveals contrasting priorities among Republicans, Democrats, and independents regarding the values most crucial to the nation.

Among Republicans, patriotism emerged as the top value needed in the country today, while Democrats ranked it lowest out of a list of twelve values. Conversely, Democrats placed the highest importance on equality, a value that Republicans regarded near the bottom. Independents identified honesty as the most essential value. Despite these differing emphases, the poll found widespread skepticism about whether fundamental values—such as freedom or fairness—are broadly shared across political affiliations and demographic groups.

Nearly one-quarter of those surveyed (24%) believe that most Americans do not share any of a dozen widely respected values. Still, nearly 80% emphasized the importance of respecting differing values over necessarily sharing the same ones. Ellyn Maese, a Gallup researcher involved in the study, described this respect as a vital element of maintaining a pluralistic society.

When asked to identify at least one value commonly shared by Americans regardless of background or political perspective, three-quarters of respondents agreed that such a value exists. Freedom was the most frequently named shared value at 38%, while humility was the least cited, at 10%.

The survey’s findings underscore the extent of political polarization and the erosion of bipartisan trust observed in recent years. Research from the Pew Research Center cited in the report shows a rising perception of immorality attributed to opposing parties, with 72% of Republicans in 2022 viewing Democrats as more immoral than the general public, up from 47% in 2016. Democrats’ distrust of Republicans similarly increased, from 35% to 63% over the same period.

Rye Barcott, CEO and co-founder of With Honor, a nonpartisan organization that supports military veterans running for office and promotes cross-party collaboration, noted the challenge this climate presents. Barcott, a Marine veteran and author, emphasized the difficulty of maintaining trust and working across party lines, especially on issues like national security, in a political environment where incentives often discourage cooperation.

Generational differences also emerged in the poll. Among adults aged 40 and older, 28% said most Americans did not share any of the values listed, compared with 18% among those under 40. Older generations, particularly baby boomers and those 65 and older, were more likely to view kindness as a shared value, with 33% affirming this, compared to 21% among younger adults in Gen Z and millennial cohorts.

Overall, the survey reflects a nation grappling with fragmented beliefs and polarized views, posing a significant challenge to efforts focused on unity and bipartisan dialogue ahead of the midterm elections.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.