Forward

The starting ten: where Americans already agree

By The editors of the Democratic Republican PartyPublished How we check facts

The short answer

On at least ten concrete questions, recent nonpartisan surveys find majorities of both Republicans and Democrats giving the same answer, from term limits for Congress to rules for AI. Every item clears 65% in both parties. Americans share far more ground than the noise suggests, and each item below shows how wide it is.

Historical setting

In 1800 the country's two parties despised each other. The Sedition Act had sent opposition editors to court. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied at 73 electoral votes, and the House of Representatives needed 36 ballots before it chose Jefferson on February 17, 1801 archives.gov. Then power changed hands without a shot. Read the full story in the election of 1800.

Jefferson's inaugural address named the floor both sides stood on: "But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle" avalon.law.yale.edu. The disagreements were real. The new majority reversed Federalist policies within a year. What he named was bigger: ground both sides shared, under every difference. See what Jefferson meant.

This page applies the same test to today. The shared ground is still there, and it is wider than most people think.

How we chose the ten

Rules, stated up front, so you can check them:

  • Source. A nonpartisan survey organization (Pew Research Center, Gallup, KFF, and the University of Maryland's Program for Public Consultation), fielded in 2023 or later, with a published question, field dates and sample.
  • Threshold. A majority of Republicans and a majority of Democrats gave the same answer. Every item clears 65% in both groups.
  • Spread. No more than one point per question. We drew from government, money in politics, elections, retirement, health, technology, children and immigration.
  • Balance. We did not keep a point because it flatters either side. Some of these lean toward ideas more associated with the right, some toward ideas more associated with the left. All ten have majorities in both.
  • Honesty about the gap. Agreement is not identical numbers. Where one party is far more enthusiastic, we say so.

Party definitions differ by pollster. Pew counts independents who lean toward a party with that party. Gallup and KFF report Republicans and Democrats without leaners. We note which applies.

The starting ten

1. Ordinary people have too little say in Congress

70% of adults say "the people in their districts" have too little influence on the decisions members of Congress make, including 72% of Republicans and 71% of Democrats (with leaners) pewresearch.org. Only 9% say those people have too much influence pewresearch.org.

  • Source: Pew Research Center, American Trends Panel, July 10 to 16, 2023, 8,480 U.S. adults.
  • Question: "Do you think each of the following have too much influence, too little influence or about the right amount of influence when it comes to the decisions that members of Congress make?" Item: "The people in their districts."

Where views part: whose voices are being drowned out, and by whom. People who agree on the diagnosis often blame different crowds.

2. Members of Congress should face term limits

87% favor "limiting the number of terms that members of Congress can serve," including 90% of Republicans and 86% of Democrats (with leaners) pewresearch.org.

  • Source: Pew Research Center, July 10 to 16, 2023, 8,480 U.S. adults.
  • Question: "Do you favor or oppose each of the following proposals?" Item: "Limiting the number of terms that members of Congress can serve."

Where views part: how many terms, whether it takes a constitutional amendment, and whether limits shift power from voters to staff and lobbyists. Pew's same survey found 79% favor a maximum age for elected officials in Washington pewresearch.org.

3. Members of Congress should not trade individual stocks

86% of registered voters favor banning members of Congress and the family living with them from trading individual stocks, including 87% of Republicans and 88% of Democrats publicconsultation.org.

  • Source: Program for Public Consultation, University of Maryland School of Public Policy, fielded online May 19 to 30, 2023, 2,625 registered voters, probability-based sample from Nielsen Scarborough.
  • Question (final recommendation): "In conclusion, do you favor or oppose this proposal?" after the proposal: "Prohibit Members of Congress (in the House and Senate) and the family that lives with them, from trading stocks in individual companies. They would still be allowed to buy or sell shares of mutual funds or index funds that include stocks in numerous companies."
  • Method note: respondents first read a short briefing and arguments for and against. This measures an informed judgment, not a snap reaction.

Where views part: who else it covers. The same survey found only 40% favor extending a ban to all federal employees publicconsultation.org.

4. Campaign spending should have limits

72% say "there should be limits on the amount of money individuals and organizations can spend in support of political campaigns," including 76% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans (with leaners) pewresearch.org. 11% say there should be no limits pewresearch.org.

  • Source: Pew Research Center, July 10 to 16, 2023, 8,480 U.S. adults.
  • Question: "Which comes closer to your own view, even if neither is exactly right?" Options were unlimited spending, limits, or not sure.

Where views part: the First Amendment. Spending limits collide with free speech protections, and the two sides weigh that collision differently. Pew found Democrats more likely than Republicans to think effective laws are possible (66% vs. 52%) pewresearch.org.

5. Elections should be easy to check

84% favor requiring electronic voting machines to print a paper backup of the ballot, including 87% of Republicans and 82% of Democrats (with leaners) pewresearch.org. Two more election rules also clear majorities in both parties: photo ID to vote (95% of Republicans, 71% of Democrats) and at least two weeks of early in-person voting (89% of Democrats, 71% of Republicans) pewresearch.org.

  • Source: Pew Research Center, American Trends Panel, August 4 to 10, 2025, 3,554 U.S. adults. These three items were asked of a random half of the sample (1,784).
  • Question: "Please indicate whether you would favor or oppose the following ideas about election policy." Items as quoted above.

Where views part: other election rules. Pew found a 51-point partisan gap on no-excuse voting by mail in the same survey pewresearch.org. Security and access each have a broad majority; views part on the trade-offs between them.

6. Social Security benefits should not be cut

79% say "Social Security benefits should not be reduced in any way," including 77% of Republicans and 83% of Democrats (with leaners) pewresearch.org.

  • Source: Pew Research Center, American Trends Panel, April 8 to 14, 2024, 8,709 U.S. adults.
  • Question: "Thinking about the long term future of Social Security, do you think…" with the options "Some reductions in benefits for future retirees need to be considered" or "Social Security benefits should not be reduced in any way."

Where views part: how to pay for it. Keeping benefits whole means more revenue, borrowing, or other changes, and that is where the parties split. Pew found 51% of Democrats and 29% of Republicans want benefits expanded pewresearch.org.

7. Prescription drug prices need more limits

72% of adults say there is "not as much regulation as there should be" when it comes to limiting the price of prescription drugs, including 77% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans (without leaners) kff.org.

  • Source: KFF Health Tracking Poll, February 24 to March 2, 2026, 1,343 U.S. adults, online and by telephone, SSRS Opinion Panel.
  • Question: "When it comes to government regulation over limiting the price of prescription drugs, is there too much regulation, not as much regulation as there should be, or about the right amount of regulation in this area?"

Where views part: which tool. Price negotiation, caps, importation and market competition are different answers to the same complaint, and each has defenders who warn about the costs of the others.

85% support social media companies "requiring parental consent for minors to create a social media account," including 89% of Republicans and 83% of Democrats (with leaners) pewresearch.org.

  • Source: Pew Research Center, American Trends Panel, May 26 to June 1, 2026, 9,750 U.S. adults.
  • Question: "Would you support or oppose social media companies…" Item: "Requiring parental consent for minors to create a social media account."

Where views part: who enforces it and what it costs in privacy. Age checks can mean collecting identification from adults too. A full ban for those under 16 drew a smaller majority, 56% pewresearch.org.

9. AI should come with safety rules, even if it slows things down

80% say the government should maintain "rules for AI safety and data security, even if it means developing AI capabilities at a slower rate," including 88% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans (without leaners) news.gallup.com. Only 9% chose speed over rules news.gallup.com.

  • Source: Gallup, in partnership with the Special Competitive Studies Project, Gallup Panel web survey, April 25 to May 5, 2025, 3,128 U.S. adults.
  • Question: "Which should the government prioritize when it comes to AI?" Options: maintaining rules for AI safety and data security even if slower, or developing AI capabilities as quickly as possible even if it means reducing those rules.

Where views part: which rules, and who writes them. Gallup notes the poll did not ask which specific rules people want news.gallup.com.

10. At least some people here illegally should be deported

96% of Republicans and 71% of Democrats (with leaners) say at least some immigrants living in the U.S. illegally should be deported pewresearch.org. Among all adults who said some or all should be deported, 98% included those who have committed violent crimes pewresearch.org.

  • Source: Pew Research Center, American Trends Panel, February 24 to March 2, 2025, 5,123 U.S. adults.
  • Question: "Do you think immigrants living in the U.S. illegally should be deported?" Options: all, some, or none should be deported.

Where views part: "all" or "some," and how. Pew found 54% of Republicans and 10% of Democrats say all should be deported, and less consensus on how deportations should be carried out pewresearch.org.

What the ten show

Look at the shape of each item. A wide floor of agreement, then a narrower set of details where views part.

The floor is the bigger part. On every one of these questions, most Republicans and most Democrats are standing in the same place. The person across the table is closer to you on question one than the headlines suggest, and often closer than you would guess on question two.

Read why agreement feels rarer than it is at We agree more than we disagree, and how to talk from shared ground at how to talk about politics.

Evidence

Every figure above comes from the published report or topline of the survey named, opened on 2026-10-28. Sample sizes and field dates are the pollster's. Where a party breakdown appears only in a chart, we used it only if the text or data table stated the figure. Pew party figures include leaners. KFF and Gallup party figures do not.

What the evidence does not show

  • Not that differences are shallow. On every item, the details divide people, sometimes sharply.
  • Not that this is the complete list. Other questions could qualify. We stopped at ten and spread them across subjects.
  • Not a ranking of importance. The order is ours, chosen for readability.
  • Not stable forever. Opinion moves. Several items have earlier readings at different levels. Check the date on each.
  • Not one wording for all time. Different question wording can produce different numbers. We quote the wording so you can judge it.
  • Not proof a majority is right. A majority is a fact about opinion, not a verdict on the proposal.

Sources

  1. National Archives, Electoral College results, 1800. archives.gov (locator: results table and notes). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  2. Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801, Avalon Project, Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School. avalon.law.yale.edu (locator: paragraph 2). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  3. Pew Research Center, "Americans' Dismal Views of the Nation's Politics," September 19, 2023, report and topline (ATP Wave 130, July 10 to 16, 2023, N=8,480). pewresearch.org ; pewresearch.org (locator: report pp. 47 to 49 and 88 to 89; topline items REPR_INFL, FAVOPP_POL, SPENDPOL_LIM, SPENDPOL_LAW). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  4. Program for Public Consultation, University of Maryland School of Public Policy, "Ban on Stock Trading for Members of Congress Favored by Overwhelming Bipartisan Majority," July 19, 2023, and questionnaire. publicconsultation.org ; publicconsultation.org (locator: Q5, Q6, Q12; methodology paragraph). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  5. Pew Research Center, "Majority of Americans continue to back expanded early voting, voting by mail, voter ID," August 22, 2025, and topline (ATP Wave 176, August 4 to 10, 2025, N=3,554). pewresearch.org ; pewresearch.org (locator: VTPRIORITY items GOVID, PPR, ERLY). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  6. Pew Research Center, "Americans' views of government aid to the poor, role in health care and Social Security," June 24, 2024, and topline (ATP Wave 146, April 8 to 14, 2024, N=8,709). pewresearch.org ; pewresearch.org (locator: section "Views on the future of Social Security"; topline SOCSEC_FUT). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  7. KFF, "Public Views on Prescription Drug Costs: Regulation, Affordability and TrumpRx," March 13, 2026, and topline (February 24 to March 2, 2026, N=1,343). kff.org ; files.kff.org (locator: section "Most U.S. Adults Want More Regulation"; topline Q3b; methodology). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  8. Pew Research Center, "Majority of Americans support banning social media for kids under 16," July 1, 2026, and topline (May 26 to June 1, 2026, N=9,750). pewresearch.org ; pewresearch.org (locator: chart of policies by party; topline item CON). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  9. Gallup, Benedict Vigers and Justin Lall, "Americans Prioritize AI Safety and Data Security," 2025. news.gallup.com (locator: paragraphs 1 to 2; Survey Methods). Accessed 2026-10-28.
  10. Pew Research Center, "Americans' Views of Deportations," March 26, 2025, report and topline (February 24 to March 2, 2025, N=5,123). pewresearch.org ; pewresearch.org (locator: section "By political party"; topline DEPSUPPORT and VIOLCR). Accessed 2026-10-28.

Last checked against its sources on October 28, 2026. Report a correction.