Most Utahns believe the United States is going in the wrong direction, a bit of an odd measurement considering the state is very Republican, and the GOP controls the White House and Congress, a new UtahPolicy.com poll shows.
Most Utahns, however, believe the state itself is going in the right direction, once again Utah is governed by Republicans on Capitol Hill, finds Dan Jones & Associates.
Some of Jones’ numbers:
- 52 percent say the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction.
- 36 percent say it is going the right way.
- While 12 percent don’t know.
Opinions about Utah are very different:
- 64 percent say as a state we’re going the right way.
- Only 26 say we’re in the wrong direction.
- 10 percent don’t know.
There are, of course, great differences in opinion between partisan groups: Republicans say the U.S. is going in the right direction, 54-32 percent.
While that might be imagined considering who is running the federal government these days, still, about one-third of Utah Republicans believe their Washington, D.C., colleagues are going the wrong way.
- Democrats say America is on the wrong track, 86-6 percent.
- While political independents, who don’t belong to any party, think the U.S. is going the wrong way, 65-25 percent.
Republicans and independents say Utah, however, is going the right way:
- Members of the GOP, 85-8 percent.
- Independents say the state is on the right track, 53-35 percent.
But Utah Democrats – out of power statewide for generations – disagree. They say Utah is on the wrong track, 59-27 percent.
Still, a fourth of Democrats say Utah is going the right way – good news for state lawmakers looking toward re-election this year.
Those who self-identified to Jones that they are “very conservative” believe the U.S. is on the right track, 56-31 percent.
The “somewhat conservatives” are split, however, with 44 percent saying right track and 41 percent saying wrong track nationally.
“Moderates,” “somewhat liberals,” and “very liberals,” all say the nation is going the wrong way, with large majorities.
Considering the state itself, “very” and “somewhat” conservatives say right track with large majorities; while “moderates” say right track, 56-31 percent.
The liberals say Utah is going the wrong way.
Finally, “very active” Mormons are split about the direction of the country – 43 percent say it is going in the right direction, but 42 percent say the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction.
All other religious groups say the country is going the wrong way.
While those with no religion are certain – wrong way, 80-16 percent.
As the 2018 election year starts, the new survey shows Utahns are not, overall, asking for change on the state level.
Republicans may be satisfied with Congress, but clearly, independents and Democrats are not.
We’ll see how that plays out in the four U.S. House races and one U.S. Senate race coming up in the following months.
Jones polled 600 adults from Nov. 16-21. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
