This Washington Post-University of Maryland poll was conducted Sept. 27-Oct. 5, 2017
among a sample of 1,663 adults interviewed through the AmeriSpeak Panel, the
probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. Interviews were
conducted online and by landline and cellular phones. Overall results have a margin of
sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
*= less than 0.5 percent
1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as
president? Do you approve/disapprove strongly, or somewhat?

10/5/17

-------- Approve -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
37
17
19

------- Disapprove -----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
63
14
48

No
opinion
1

Compare to Post-ABC polls:
9/21/17
8/20/17
7/13/17
4/20/17

39
37
36
42

26
22
25
27

13
15
11
15

57
58
58
53

9
13
10
10

48
45
48
43

4
5
6
5

2. How often can you trust the federal government in Washington to do what is right?
----Trust government---Most of
NET
Always
the time
10/5/17
10
1
9
2016*
11
2
10
2012*
11
1
10
*American National Election Studies

About half
of the time
27
33
27

-Distrust government-Some of
NET
the time
Never
63
51
12
56
43
13
61
51
10

No
opinion
*
1
1

Compare to American National Election Studies:
How much of the time do you think you can trust the government in Washington to do
what is right-- just about always, most of the time or only some of the time?

2012
2008
2004
2002
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
1990
1988
1986
1984
1982
1980
1978
1976

Just about
Always
2
5
4
5
4
4
3
2
3
3
4
3
4
2
2
2
3

Most of
the time
20
25
43
51
40
36
30
19
26
25
36
35
40
31
23
27
30

Some of
the time
76
68
52
44
55
58
66
74
68
69
56
57
53
62
69
64
62

(vol.) None of
the time
2
2
1
0
1
1
1
3
2
2
2
2
1
3
4
4
1

Don’t know/
Depends
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
2
3
3

1

 1974
1972
1970
1968
1966
1964
1958

2
5
6
7
17
14
16

34
48
47
54
48
62
57

61
44
44
36
28
22
23

1
1
0
0
2
0
0

2
2
2
2
4
1
4

3. How often can you trust each of the following to do what is right?
10/5/17 – Summary table
---Trust government---Most of
NET
Always
the time
a. The government
in your state
b. Your local
government

About half
of time

-Distrust government-Some of
NET
time
Never

No
op.

23

1

22

28

50

40

9

*

31

1

30

29

40

32

8

*

4. How proud are you of the way democracy works in America - very proud, somewhat
proud, not very proud, or not at all proud?
------- Proud ------NET
Very
Somewhat
10/5/17
63
16
48
3/14*
74
25
49
3/04*
84
32
52
9/6/02
90
49
41
9/28/01**
96
60
36
5/25/96*
79
27
52
*General Social Survey by NORC
**National Tragedy Study by NORC

------- Not proud -------NET
Not too
Not at all
36
27
9
18
14
3
10
8
2
9
5
4
3
2
1
16
13
3

No
opinion
*
8
5
1
2
4

5. Do you think the current political system in the United States is basically
functional or basically dysfunctional? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

10/5/17

------- Functional------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
35
4
31

----- Dysfunctional ----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
64
37
27

No
opinion
1

Compare to Post-ABC:
“Do you think the current political system in the United States is basically
functional or basically dysfunctional? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?”

3/6/16
9/10/15

------- Functional------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
29
10
19
33
12
21

---- Not functional ----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
69
18
51
64
18
46

No
opinion
2
3

6. (IF DYSFUNCTIONAL) In what ways would you say the political system is
dysfunctional? (open-end)
7. Do you think problems in America’s politics right now (are similar to most periods
of partisan disagreement), or do you think problems (have reached a dangerous low
point)?
Similar to most periods of

Have reached a

No

2

 10/5/17

partisisan disagreement
29

dangerous low point
71

opinion
1

7a. (AMONG THOSE WHO SAID DANGEROUS NEW LOW) Do you think the problems in America’s
political system are temporary, or are they a new normal?
10/5/17

Temporary
44

New normal
55

No opinion
1

NET 7/7a

10/5/17

Similar to most periods of
partisisan disagreement
29

---Have reached a dangerous low point---NET
Temporary
New normal
No opinion
71
31
39
1

No
op.
1

8. Thinking back to political divisions in the U.S. during the Vietnam War, do you
think divisions today are (at least as big as) during the Vietnam War, or are
divisions today (smaller than) they were then?

10/5/17

At least
As big as
70

Smaller
than
27

No
opinion
3

9. Do you think Trump’s presidency is making the U.S. political system more
functional, more dysfunctional, or is he not making any difference?

10/5/17

More
functional
19

More
dysfunctional
58

No difference
22

No opinion
1

10. What about each of the following – are each of the following parts of the
political system basically functional or dysfunctional?
Summary table – 10/5/17
Functional

Dysfunctional

47
19

50
80

3
1

57
29
33

42
70
65

1
1
2

43

56

2

a. Federal agencies, such as the
Food and Drug Administration*
b. Congress*
c. Federal courts, including the
Supreme Court*
d. Donald Trump’s administration
e. The news media
f. The system of checks and
balances on the powers of the
Presidency, the Congress and the
Supreme Court*
*Asked of half sample

No opinion

11. How much, if at all, do you blame each of the following for causing dysfunction in
the U.S. political system? (Half sample)
Summary table - 10/5/17
a. The Democratic Party
b. The Republican Party
c. Donald Trump

A lot
32
38
51

Some
54
53
34

Not at all
13
8
14

No opinion
1
1
1

3

 d. The news media
e. Wealthy political donors
f. Liberal activists
g. Conservative activists
h. Barack Obama
i. Average voters
j. Social media
k. People with extreme
political views
l. Uncompetitive Congressional
elections
m. Money in politics
n. Political correctness
o. Members of Congress

49
56
40
30
25
19
49

39
38
47
52
38
55
44

11
6
11
16
36
24
7

1
1
2
2
*
2
1

56

37

6

1

35
65
41
47

51
31
43
47

12
4
15
4

3
1
1
2

12. Do you think each of the following generally do a good job or a bad job making
needed compromises across party lines?
Summary table – 10/5/17
a. Democrats in Congress
b. Republicans in Congress
c. Donald Trump

Good job
36
21
31

Bad job
61
77
68

No opinion
2
2
2

13. Do you think each of the following generally do a good job or a bad job
representing the concerns of ordinary citizens?
Summary table – 10/5/17
a. Democrats in Congress
b. Republicans in Congress
c. Donald Trump

Good job
40
22
31

Bad job
59
77
68

No opinion
1
1
1

14. Would you rate the level of ethics and honesty of politicians as excellent, good,
not good or poor?

10/5/17
2/2/97*
1/7/97*
12/3/95*
4/17/94*
3/27/94
5/23/89
4/19/89
6/1/87
*ABC News

----Excellent/Good---NET
Excellent
Good
14
1
13
33
2
31
25
2
23
18
2
16
23
1
22
25
1
23
30
2
28
30
1
29
39
1
38

----Not good/Poor---NET
Not good
Poor
85
49
36
76
39
27
75
45
30
80
45
35
77
45
32
74
44
30
70
48
22
65
37
29
61
39
22

No opinion
1
1
1
2
0
1
1
4
1

15. Do you believe that Members of Congress mainly base their policies on a set of
core values, or do you believe they mainly do whatever is needed to win re-election?

10/5/17

Base their polices on
a set of core values
12

Do whatever is needed
to win re-election
87

No
opinion
1

4

 16. Regardless of whom you supported in the 2016 election, do you think Donald Trump’s
election as president was legitimate, or was he not legitimately elected?
10/5/17

Legitimate
57

Not legitimate
42

No opinion
1

Compare to:
Do you consider Bush to have been legitimately elected as president, or not?

Yes
No
No opin.
4/22/01
62
36
2
1/15/01
58
40
2
12/15/00
55
42
3
12/10/00* 71
27
1
12/3/00
73
23
4
11/26/00
76
19
5
*12/10 and previous: "If this ends with Bush winning the presidency, will
you consider him ..."
17. Regardless of whom you supported in the 2008 election, do you think Barack Obama’s
election as president was legitimate, or was he not legitimately elected?
10/5/17

Legitimate
85

Not legitimate
14

No opinion
1

18. Do you think each of the following generally represent your political views or
oppose your political views? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?
Summary table – 10/5/17
a. The Democratic Party
b. The Republican Party
c. Donald Trump

--------Represent-------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
56
14
42
43
7
37
39
16
22

---------Oppose---------NET
Somewhat
Strongly
43
21
23
55
29
26
60
15
46

No
op.
1
1
1

19. (AMONG THOSE WHO SAY EACH OPPOSES THEIR VIEWS) Do you think each of the following
are undermining America’s core principles or wouldn’t you go that far?
Summary table – 10/5/17

a. The Democratic Party
b. The Republican Party
c. Donald Trump

Yes, undermining
core principles
66
61
75

No, wouldn’t
go that far
32
38
24

No opinion
2
1
1

NET 18/19

a. The Democratic Party
b. The Republican Party
c. Donald Trump

Represent
56
43
39

------------------Oppose------------------Yes, undermining
No, wouldn’t
No
NET
core principles
go that far
op.
43
28
14
1
55
33
21
1
60
45
14
1

No
op.
1
1
1

5

 20. Do you think each of the following tries more to satisfy voters with (extreme)
positions or to satisfy voters with (moderate) positions?
Summary table – 10/5/17
a. The Democratic Party
b. The Republican Party

Tries to satisfy voters
with extreme positions
44
52

Tries to satisfy voters
with moderate positions
54
46

No
opinion
2
2

Thinking about news organizations…
21. In presenting the news dealing with political and social issues, do you think that
news organizations deal fairly with all sides, or do they tend to favor one side?
Deal fairly
Tend to favor
with all sides
one side
10/5/17
24
75
3/27/17*
28
72
2/8/16
24
74
*March 2017 and prior Pew Research Center

No
opinion
1
*
3

Questions 22-25 held for release.
26. In general, how much, if at all, do you think people who disagree with you on
politics respect your views?

10/5/17

----A lot/some---NET
A lot
Some
48
7
41

----Not too much/Not at all---NET
Not too much
Not at all
41
30
11

Depends
10

No
opinion
1

27. If you know somebody is a Democrat, do you think that only indicates what they
think about government policies or does it also represent how they live their lives?

10/5/17

Indicates views
on gov’t polices
47

Represents how they
live their lives
50

No
opinion
3

28. If you know somebody is a Republican, do you think that only indicates what they
think about government policies or does it also represent how they live their lives?

10/5/17

Indicates views
on gov’t polices
43

Represents how they
live their lives
54

No
opinion
3

29. Do you think there are (more) things that bind Americans together today than in
the past, (fewer) things that bind Americans together, or hasn’t this really changed
from the past?

10/5/17

More things bind
Americans together
15

Fewer things bind
Americans together
56

Hasn’t
changed
29

No
opinion
*

Questions 30-33 held for release.

6

 PARTY ID. Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as (a Democrat), (a
Republican), an independent or what?
10/5/17

Democrat
34

Republican
24

Independent
31

Other
10

No opinion
*

IDEOLOGY. Would you say your views on most political matters are…

10/5/17

Very
liberal
7

Somewhat
liberal
17

Moderate
42

Somewhat
conservative
23

Very
conservative
10

No
opinion
1

*** END ***
METHODOLOGICAL DETAILS
This poll was jointly sponsored and funded by The Washington Post and the University
of Maryland. The web and phone poll is a random sample of adults in the United States,
with interviews in English and Spanish.
This questionnaire was administered with the exact questions in the exact order as
they appear in this document. Demographic questions are not shown. If a question was
asked of a reduced base of the sample, a parenthetical preceding the question
identifies the group asked. Phrases surrounded by parentheticals within questions
indicate clauses that were randomly rotated for respondents.
Respondents were drawn from a stratified random sample of the AmeriSpeak Panel, the
probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. The sample was
stratified by age, race/ethnicity, gender and education. A total of 1,663 interviews
were completed, including 1,451 self-adiministered over the internet and 212
administered by a professional interviewer over landline or cellular phone.
The AmeriSpeak panel was built through a nationally representative probability sample
of U.S. households using mail, telephone and face-to-face recruitment methods. Panel
members are permitted to complete surveys using an internet device or by phone.
Additional technical details about AmeriSpeak survey methodology is available at
www.norc.org.
This survey uses statistical weighting procedures to account for features of the
AmeriSpeak panel sample design, efforts to recruit initially nonresponding households
and to match population demographic benchmarks according to the Census Bureau’s
Current Population Survey. The Post-U-Md. sample was weighted to adjust for
nonresponse, as well as to match population benchmarks for age, gender, education,
race/ethnicity and Census Division according to the Current Population Survey, as well
as on political ideology (liberal/moderate/conservative identification) to an average
of the three most recent Washington Post-ABC News national polls.
All error margins have been adjusted to account for the survey’s design effect, which
is 1.95 for this survey. The design effect is a factor representing the survey’s
deviation from a simple random sample, and takes into account decreases in precision
due to sample design and weighting procedures. Surveys that do not incorporate a
design effect overstate their precision.
Group
All adults
Democrats
Republicans
Independents

Unweighted
sample size
1,663
614
359
519

Error margin
+/- 3.5 points
5.5
7
6

7

 The Washington Post is a charter member of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, which
recognizes organizations that disclose key methodological details on the research they
produce.
Contact polls@washpost.com for further information about how The Washington Post
conducts polls.

8