While every election season seems to intensify political divisions, the 2024 general election felt particularly contentious. With tensions seemingly at an all-time high, many Americans may think the future of bipartisanship in our country grim and uncertain.
Recent polls reveal that voters are calling for unity, expecting lawmakers to rise above party lines and work together. Even with Republicans holding the Presidency, House, and Senate, the public’s belief in bipartisan collaboration remains strong. This sentiment creates a powerful incentive for leaders to prioritize civility and compromise, setting the stage for a more cooperative political landscape in 2025 and beyond.
The latest Georgetown Battleground Civility Poll [politics.georgetown.edu] found that following a tumultuous election season, feelings of political tensions and division have decreased. Despite voters electing a Republican trifecta, they have clearly not thrown cross-partisan collaboration out the window. 95 percent [georgetown.app.box.com] of poll respondents said that they want to see President Trump work alongside Republican and Democratic lawmakers to address our country’s biggest issues. Moreover, 82 percent said that it will be good for the country if President Trump works with Congress to compromise, even if that respondent doesn’t get everything that he or she wants.
These results extend beyond voters wanting to see politicians work together and be civil—they want to see results. 71 percent of those surveyed said they wanted bipartisan laws passed, claiming that they think the President should work with Congress to pass these laws even if both sides do not get everything they want. More broadly, 70 percent also said that they prefer a politician who will compromise with others to reach a consensus instead of just sticking to the surveyed voter's values.
These results all point to one critical finding: the days of bipartisanship in Washington are not dead. Even though the country voted to elect Republican majorities in both chambers and in the Presidency, those same voters demonstrated a three-to-one preference for Republicans to compromise on significant issues instead of straying from traditions (such as the filibuster) to enact their agenda.
Another positive sign from voters—when asked about how close they feel our country is to civil war, with "0" meaning low tensions and "100" meaning political divisions so high that they place the nation on the brink of civil war, respondents' results average 66.50. This is the lowest average in years; two years ago, voter responses averaged 71.00. In 2021, this average reached a peak of 76.01.
The most recent iteration of the Georgetown Battleground Poll shows that in this election, voters wanted a Washington reset and prioritized electing a President they believed would "get things done.” The poll also shows that the country is more united than many Americans may think. Regardless of heightened political tension and divisive rhetoric that has dominated headlines this year, voters are ready to see cross-party collaboration moving forward. With political tensions decreasing and the desire for bipartisan cooperation rising, there is still hope for both parties to listen to voters and come together to deliver concrete results on key issues in 2025 and beyond.
Liam deClive-Lowe is the co-founder of American Policy Ventures, an organization that builds projects to help policymakers collaborate and get things done.
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