John Gramlich
@johngramlich.bsky.social
I'm an associate director at the Pew Research Center in Washington, DC. Follow us: @pewresearch.org. Learn more: https://www.pewresearch.org/
A fundamental difference in how Americans view elections: Most Democrats have faith that all *eligible* voters can cast ballots if they want to and that all *ineligible* voters cannot. Most Republicans have faith in the former but not the latter. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
"83% of Republicans now say they are very or somewhat confident that all citizens who want to vote in November will be able to do so. Far fewer Democrats (53%) express a similar level of confidence." www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
NEW: Americans are less confident in the fairness and accuracy of this year's elections than in past years. But unlike in other recent years, there's no big partisan divide: Narrow majorities of Republicans (55%) and Democrats (58%) now express confidence. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
"On Monday, the Commerce Department reported that June construction outlays on data centers reached $68.3 billion, at an annual rate, up $21.5 billion from a year earlier." (via @wsj.com)
The AI Boom Is Transforming the American Economy Beyond Recognition
AI has rapidly become a huge economic factor while affecting everything from capital investment to how much you pay for an iPhone.
wsj.com
NEW: 40% of Americans say it's extremely or very important for kids growing up in the US to learn a language other than English. Democrats are nearly twice as likely as Republicans (52% vs. 27%) to express that view.
What do Americans think about language learning in U.S. schools?
Four-in-ten Americans say it is extremely or very important for children growing up in the U.S. to learn a language other than English.
pewresearch.org
New: We found 50 cops who misused Flock cameras and other license-plate readers for personal purposes, often to spy on their girlfriends or ex-wives. He "watched every single move I made. ... Who do you turn the chief of police in to?" wapo.st/3S6rTuo
She left her ex. He secretly tracked her through a network of policing cameras.
Flock’s array of license-plate cameras was built to fight crime. But at least 50 law enforcement officers were charged with or accused of misusing it and other systems.
wapo.st
"An undercurrent in much of the criticism of male friendship is that men should relate to one another in the same ways that women tend to." (via @theatlantic.com)
I Love My Emotionally Stunted Friendships
My relationships with other men are centered on shared activities. Why do some people see that as a problem?
theatlantic.com
74% of Americans – including big majorities in both parties – say money in politics is a very big problem for the country today: www.pewresearch.org/politics/202... While popular, limiting campaign spending likely would require amending the Constitution: www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
Wisconsin recently reminded voters about its ban on election betting: www.wisn.com/article/bet-... (story via @wisn12news.bsky.social) Wisconsin isn't alone: 32 states restrict election betting, including 23 with total bans: www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/... (data via @ncslorg.bsky.social)
Prediction markets are rapidly expanding — and so is the fight over who should regulate them. Stateline’s Kevin Hardy has the latest: https://stateline.org/2026/07/31/online-prediction-markets-rile-up-state-lawmakers/
Online prediction markets rile up state lawmakers • Stateline
CHICAGO — The escalating feud between states and online prediction markets was on full display at a summit of state lawmakers this week as legislators publicly scolded Kalshi and Polymarket, the two most prominent platforms. Prediction market platforms say they are like commodity markets that offer contracts to speculate on the future price of corn […]
stateline.org
The youngest adults (those under 30) are considerably less likely than their elders to support in-class and all-day cellphone bans for middle and high school students in the US. Chart from new @pewresearch.org survey: www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
It's always interesting when the lines in a trend chart cross each other: For the first time, more Americans now support than oppose all-day cellphone bans in the nation's middle and high schools. NEW: www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
From the @pewresearch.org archives: In March 2020, 43% of US adults thought it was most likely that COVID came about naturally. Another 23% thought it was intentionally made in a lab, while 6% thought it was accidentally made in a lab. 25% weren't sure. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
New CNN poll: 73%, a new high, say Trump is not paying enough attention to the country's most important problems. Views on the war in Iran worsen, as economic issues remain deeply negative. @aedwardslevy.bsky.social has all the details here. www.cnn.com/2026/07/29/p...
CNN Poll: Americans doubt Trump is paying enough attention to the country’s most important problems | CNN Politics
A record-high 73% of US adults say that President Donald Trump hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS finds, with just 27% saying he’s ...
cnn.com
Who's ahead in the AI race, China or the US? Three times as many Americans say it's China (36% vs. 12%), though many aren't sure. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
NEW: Most Americans support several major structural changes to the nation's political system, from term limits to campaign spending caps. Achieving those changes, though, would require amending one of the world's hardest constitutions to change.
Most Americans favor big changes to the political system that likely would require amending the Constitution
Most Americans support term limits, campaign spending caps, and Electoral College reform, but achieving these changes likely would require amending one of the world's hardest constitutions to change.
pewresearch.org
"Americans' approval of the job the U.S. Supreme Court is doing has fallen to a record low of 33%, driven by a steep drop in Republicans’ backing of the court since last year." (via @gallup.com) news.gallup.com/poll/713096/...
"Every one of the 13 principal federal statistical agencies has experienced staffing reductions since January 2025. Six agencies have lost at least one-third of their workforce, and two have lost more than two-thirds." (via @amstatnews.bsky.social) www.amstat.org/docs/default...
NEW: The Trump administration’s slashing of the federal workforce has hurt the ability of the Census Bureau and other federal statistical agencies to keep producing reliable data about the U.S. population and economy, an @amstatnews.bsky.social report finds www.amstat.org/docs/default...
amstat.org
"Virginia Democrats took a shot at restricting AR-style rifles this year, but the move appears to have backfired." (via @stephengutowski.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com) www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
For the first time in roughly two decades of Pew Research Center surveys, both Canadians and Mexicans now view China significantly more positively than the U.S. In 🇨🇦: 🇨🇳 44% favorable 🇺🇸 33% favorable In 🇲🇽: 🇨🇳 59% favorable 🇺🇸 40% favorable
NEW: For the first time in about two decades of @pewresearch.org surveys, Canadians and Mexicans are both significantly more likely to have a favorable opinion of China than their neighbor, the United States.
Canadians and Mexicans now view China more positively than the U.S.
Canadians and Mexicans also now view Chinese President Xi Jinping more positively than Trump, even as relatively few people in both countries have confidence in the two leaders.
pewresearch.org
"The number of children under age 5 in big cities fell 15% [between 2015 and 2024], compared with a drop of 7% nationwide. Even cities that are gaining population are losing children." (via @wsj.com) www.wsj.com/us-news/citi...
America’s Big Cities Are Rapidly Losing Kids
The number of children is falling across the U.S., but the drop is especially pronounced in major metros. “It’s not the vibe it was 10 years ago.”
wsj.com
56% of Americans say they're very concerned about gas prices, up from 34% in January, before the Iran war. www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
"Buying food to eat at home has gotten 33% more expensive in U.S. cities since the beginning of 2019, according to government figures. In the 7.5 years before that, prices rose 6.4%." (via @apnews.com) apnews.com/article/groc...
NEW: In a stunning admission, the Trump administration admitted in court documents that it canceled billions in energy grants to states "based solely" on politics -- and whether that state was represented by Democrats and backed Harris in 2024. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/b...
Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him
Federal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election.
nytimes.com
Chart from new @pewresearch.org survey: Demographic differences in registered voters' preferences for US House elections this November www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
Lots of interesting things in this chart, but this one stands out: 51% of Americans agree with *neither* party on AI policy. www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
Americans are 14 points more likely to agree with Republicans than Democrats on crime policy. Conversely, they're 14 points more likely to agree with Democrats than Republicans on healthcare and environmental policy. www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
