A Catawba-YouGov survey finds that while North Carolinians are pessimistic about the nation’s political future, they are strongly united in support of constitutional checks and balances and oppose presidential overreach — even in hypothetical scenarios. But are voters casting their ballots that way? Or are they staying with party lines?
The survey also found that when respondents were asked about a midterm election held after the president’s refusal to obey a court ruling, three-quarters said it would affect who they voted for. Among Republicans, 65% said their vote would be affected, while 80% of independents and 81% of Democrats said the same.
When it comes to confidence in the nation’s highest court, 56% said they had not very much or no confidence at all, while 44% said they had a great deal or a fair amount of confidence. When asked whether the federal courts have too much power in deciding what the law means, North Carolinians were fairly divided: 43% agreed and 39% disagreed.
“There’s a notable tension in the data,” says Catawba College’s Dr. Michael Bitzer. “North Carolinians may lack confidence in the Supreme Court, but they still believe its rulings must be respected.”
We get inside the heads and hearts of voters and hear from Atlantic journalist David Graham on how the Trump administration keeps its power close and why it matters to voters.
GUESTS:
Michael Bitzer, professor of politics and history and director of the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service at Catawba College
David Graham, staff writer for The Atlantic; author of "The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America."
