A new survey of registered voters finds that despite a close race on the generic congressional ballot, voters overwhelmingly support the American values of free enterprise, protection for religious freedom, and free speech, values that align closely with conservative priorities.
The survey, conducted July 11–12 among 1,776 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX, finds a close race on the generic congressional ballot, showing 50 percent of voters planning to support a Democrat for Congress in November and the other 50 percent planning to support a Republican.
This is a closer race than certain other polls have predicted, with a July 14 Echelon Insights survey showing Democrats ahead by six percentage points, and a July 15 Napolitan News Service survey showing Democrats ahead by two percentage points. On the generic congressional ballot, Democrats are ahead by five points, but that lead has shrunk by three points since late May.
The Harris Poll shows that by a four-point margin, 52 percent to 48 percent, voters trust the Trump administration and Republicans over Democrats in Congress to manage the economy, a finding that could explain why the survey finds the generic congressional ballot so close. The survey also reveals broad support for a number of core policies enacted by President Donald Trump, as well as a strong preference for free enterprise, religious freedom, and free speech protections.
A broad majority of voters (86 percent) support President Trump’s push to lower prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients and low-income patients, including a plurality of Democrats and independents. Voters support lowering prescription drug prices by a 72-point margin (86 percent to 14 percent).
President Trump’s immigration promise, to find and deport illegal aliens who have criminal records, is also broadly favored. Voters support deporting illegal immigrants with a criminal record by a 58-point margin, 79 percent to 21 percent. Among Democrats and independents, support for deporting criminal illegals stands at 67 percent and 80 percent, respectively.
Requiring proof of citizenship to vote in elections, which is the demand at the heart of the SAVE America Act that President Trump is urging Senate Republicans to pass, is also broadly popular. Voters support an ID requirement by 40 percentage points, 70 percent to 30 percent.
The survey reveals a strong commitment to core American principles, including free enterprise over a socialist regime, alongside government commitments to freedom of religion and free speech. While these policies are not inherently partisan, in the post-COVID world, one party is clearly advancing these values while the other is chipping away at them.
Socialist policies may be rearing their heads in places like New York City, but the vast majority of Americans (78 percent) say free enterprise is better for the country. That said, 83 percent believe there should be a mix of capitalism and social safety programs.
When faced with the concept of government-controlled speech and religion, Americans vehemently reject this, saying by a 54-point margin that they demand a system where freedom of speech and religion are rights that cannot be taken away by the government. Voters also strongly defend their rights to private property; by a margin of 76 points (88 percent to 12 percent), they favor a political system that allows them to own homes and businesses.
Americans overwhelmingly say they support a merit-based economy. Voters support a merit-based system over a system where money is limited and everyone gets the same amount regardless of their contribution by a 76-point margin (88 percent to 12 percent).
Even on healthcare, voters narrowly believe that if the government paid for health insurance, medical care would get worse, not better. Voters say by four points, 42 percent to 38 percent, that if the government paid for health insurance, the quality of care would decline. Another 20 percent believe care would remain the same.
The survey also finds that freedom is the defining American value across fifteen different options, with 75 percent of Americans choosing freedom as the top value for the country. Peace (59 percent), equality (52 percent), democracy (52 percent), law and order (49 percent), work ethic (48 percent), morality (44 percent), and patriotism (41 percent) are also top values. Bipartisanship (21 percent) and science (26 percent) rank at the bottom of the list.
Overall, the survey shows a tight race in the generic congressional ballot — narrower than other recent surveys — and a preference for President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to manage the economy over congressional Democrats. The survey also finds overwhelming support for principles like free enterprise, freedom of speech and religion, the ability to own a business, and private health insurance over a government-run system. While these values should be bipartisan, standing for free enterprise, free speech, and freedom of religion, flies in the face of the modern Democratic Party’s agenda.
Manzanita Miller is the senior political analyst at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
