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U.S. NEWS Friday 31 January 2020

AP-NORC poll: GOP more fired up for 2020, Democrats anxious

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI division across the board Anna Greenberg, a Demo-
and EMILY SWANSON — there's too much on the cratic pollster, said the con-
Associated Press Democratic side and too trast between GOP excite-
When it comes to the 2020 little on the Republican ment and Democratic anx-
presidential election, Dem- one." Republicans, mean- iety and frustration is not a
ocrats are nervous wrecks while, appear to share less surprise.
and Republican excite- of that angst, while their "In general, supporters of
ment has grown. party hangs together on the party in power are go-
That's according to a impeachment, the econo- ing to be more optimistic
new poll by The Associ- my and other major issues and hopeful, while sup-
ated Press-NORC Center on Trump's agenda. porters of the party out of
for Public Affairs Research "I am not nervous at all. I power are going to be frus-
as Americans look ahead think Donald Trump will win trated and angry," Green-
to a high-stakes election it in a landslide," said Clin- berg said.
that is 10 months away ton Adams, a 39-year-old She also noted that Demo-
but still very much top custodian in the Florida crats have been stressed In this Jan. 18, 2020 file photo, a voting drive volunteer sets up a
of mind. While emotions Panhandle. since Trump won the White table in Richardson, Texas.
could change in the com- The poll found that 43% of House. Associated Press
ing months, the findings Republicans say they're ex- "Since Trump was elected, idiot with his finger on the and worries about relaxed
give Democrats one more cited about the election, Democrats have been button," Farrell said of the standards for truth in politi-
worry to add to the list: Will up 10 percentage points particularly anxious about president. cal ads on Facebook.
anxiety or enthusiasm be a from October. Meanwhile, both the idea of disinfor- Farrell expects to donate to "I'm just not sure we can
bigger motivator come No- 33% of Democrats reported mation and election inter- whomever the party nomi- have a fair election right
vember? excitement. ference in 2020 and what nates, and indeed, that's now," the 65-year-old Dem-
On the verge of the first About three-quarters of could happen in a second one way Democratic anxi- ocrat said. "That's probably
votes being cast in a pri- both Democrats and Re- Trump term," Greenberg ety may help their party. my biggest anxiety right
mary contest with no clear publicans say they are said. However, she added, Eighteen percent of anx- now."
leader, 66% of Democrats highly motivated to cast "there is no evidence that ious Democrats say they've Domingo Rodriguez thinks
report anxiety about the ballots this year. But that Democrats are any less en- donated, compared with these worries are ridicu-
election, compared with only raises the question thusiastic about voting in 5% of those who are not lous. The 75-year-old re-
46% of Republicans. Demo- of which emotion will be 2020, and the results of the anxious. tired translator lives in Fort
crats are also more likely stronger in turning out the 2018 election would sug- Still, the stress doesn't feel Myers Beach, Florida, and,
to feel frustration. Republi- vote around the margins. gest that they are highly good to Kathy Tuggle, a though he's not affiliated
cans, meanwhile, are more A party usually wants its motivated to vote." retired administrative assis- with either party, supports
likely than Democrats to voters excited rather than Indeed, the poll suggests tant in Richmond, Indiana. Trump. "I think Trump will
declare excitement about anxious, said George Mar- that the feeling among She also dreads the impli- win again. I'm not nervous,"
the race, and the share of cus, a political scientist at Democrats might be a driv- cations of a Trump acquit- Rodriguez said, chuck-
enthusiastic Republicans Williams College who has er: About 9 in 10 anxious tal — that the president ling as he thought about
appears to be rising. studied the role of emotion Democrats say they feel can recruit other countries Democrats' view of the
The findings aren't surprising in politics and polling. Mar- very motivated to vote this to help his reelection — election.q
to anyone who's talked to cus found that voters who November, compared with
an undecided Democrat report fear and anxiety are about half of those who
about the crowded prima- more likely to be confused are not anxious.
ry field. Behind an intense and split their vote. Tim Farrell is one of those
desire to oust President "It creates the possibility for stressed-out Democrats
Donald Trump, Democrats persuasion," Marcus said of who have been worried
often describe deep un- voter worry. "If I'm an anx- since Trump won in 2016.
certainty about what sort ious Democrat, I may stay The 58-year-old social
of candidate has the best home, I may vote Republi- worker in Watertown, New
chance and whether the can. ... You want your base York, says he's been "ill for
party will be able to win the to be either really angry at the last three years."
votes. There's also hard di- the other side or really en- He has little faith that voters
vision over policy and whis- thusiastic." will turn on Trump, but it's
pers about a contested Still, Marcus noted Demo- the ongoing impeachment
convention. It can all feel a crats have a long way to trial in the Republican-con-
bit too much for some. go before Election Day. trolled Senate that's raised
"I'm anxious and not really The selection of a nominee his anxiety about Novem-
in a good way," said James could calm jitters and stir ber. "I'm dreading the ex-
Horinek, 32, a Democrat in up excitement for a candi- pected outcome. He won't
Lawton, Oklahoma, who date. Events could also shift be convicted. He'll feel he's
works in marketing. "There's GOP voters' confidence. invulnerable, and he's an