A majority (71%) of Americans are hopeful about how the new year will go for them personally, according to a Survey Monkey poll reported by Axios. Ninety percent of these optimists are self-identified Republicans and 55% are Democrats. Only 28% of Americans are more fearful about how 2018 will go for them personally (44% Democrat; 9% Republican).
When asked if they are more hopeful for the world in general, only 47% of Americans say yes, with Democrats the most pessimistic: only 29% of Democrats are more hopeful while 67% of Republicans say they are more hopeful. Fifty-two percent of Americans (70% Democrat; 32% Republican) are more fearful for the world in general in the new year.
What does this mean politically as the Midterm Election year begins? Americans, both Republicans and Democrats, are hopeful about their personal situations. But the pessimism for the state of the world in general, particularly on the left, could affect voter motivation and the issues that campaigns choose to highlight as the midterms heat up.
