Dan McKee's approval rating continues to tank
Pell Center, Salve Regina University
Over half of registered Democrats agree that the United
States is operating as a democracy, but 80% say it is not healthy and 94%
believe we are facing a constitutional crisis. Democrats perceive a decline in
the strength of the checks and balance system, which likely bolsters their
sense of democratic backsliding. Only one-third (32%) agree the system is
strong while 64% agree that country has fallen into dictatorship.
Republicans, on the other hand, are seven times more likely
to agree that our democracy is healthy than they were in the June 2024 Voices
of Value survey. Well over three-quarters of Republicans (83%) say policies
from the Trump administration have helped them personally and the percent who
agree that polarization has increased dropped by 15 percentage points between
June 2024 (86%) and June 2025 (71%).
While all respondents tapped disinformation and fake news as a leading contributor to political polarization, just as they did in the June 2024 survey, the percent who believe political leaders add to the schism has increased.
One year ago, only 13% of Democrats chose political leaders as a main cause, but in June 2025, 29% did, a 16 percentage point increase. The percent from the party who chose Republican officials as a main contributor dropped by 2%, however. Republicans are more likely to believe Democratic officials are a main cause of polarization over any other factor (58%).
On the economy—a hot button election issue—three-quarters of
Republicans (76%) believe it is thriving, while nearly just as many Democrats
(73%) believe we are in a recession. Only 17% of respondents chose the economy
as one of the top three most important issues facing the country, however. Over
half of Republicans tapped immigration (58%) as a top issue while Democrats
chose Trump and the Republicans (66%) and the state of democracy (36%) as main
concerns.
Independents—or those who are not registered with the
Republican or Democratic party—often split the difference between their party
counterparts. Nearly two-thirds (59%) say our democracy is not healthy, for
example. The group was also more evenly divided than Republicans and Democrats
on important issues facing the country: about one-third chose Trump and the
Republicans (28%), inflation and the cost of living (34%), immigration (34%),
and polarization and division (28%).
Given their concern on the issue of immigration and their
party support for Trump, 91% of Republicans support the administration’s
decision to deploy U.S. military troops in response to protests over the
federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement. Almost all of
Republicans (93%) want the federal government to increase spending on the
border and immigration enforcement.
Regardless of major disagreements on issues like immigration
and the economy, members of all parties largely want the federal government to
increase spending on Medicare and Social Security. Enhanced funding for Social
Security is overwhelmingly popular: 82% of Democrats, 75% of Republicans, and
70% of Independents agree.
Job performance approval ratings for three of Rhode Island’s four Congressional representatives dipped between June 2024 and June 2025. Representative Gabe Amo saw a 2 percentage point increase in net approval (+11), though Senator Reed holds the highest net approval rating (+12).
Governor Dan McKee’s approval rating dropped from 36% in June 2024 to 25% in June 2025.
Data for Congressional Representatives Amo and Magaziner is specific
to their congressional district. Congressional District 1 has a modeled margin
of error of 3.8% and Congressional District 2 has a margin of error of 3.3%,
both at a 95% confidence level.
“The survey results suggest deep divisions between the Democratic and Republican party – not only on top issues but on major questions around the health of our democracy,” said Katie Sonder.
This survey was conducted as a part of the Pell Center’s
Voices of Value project that works to unpack the nuances of political
polarization, understand media consumption habits, and track support for
various political actors. The June 2025 survey is the fourth installment of the
project.
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