Voters across America still say they love their country, but they are split over how well it lives up to founding ideals and whether the best days are ahead. A recent national survey shows Republicans and older voters trend positive on pride and patriotism while Democrats, younger people, and many independents are more critical. This piece walks through the numbers on pride, patriotism, optimism, and concerns about democracy, and it flags how practical issues like gas prices and vacation money factor into public attitudes.
There’s a clear partisan gap on national pride and progress toward liberty, equality, and self-reliance. Republicans, White evangelical Christians, rural voters, men, and voters 45 and older are more likely to rate America’s progress positively, while Democrats, Black voters, independents, women, and younger voters lean negative. These splits aren’t subtle—political identity still shapes how people see the country’s story.
FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS EMBRACE HEALTH AGENDA WHILE RATING RFK JR NEGATIVELY appears in the top-line conversation because party loyalty and policy preferences often determine whether someone calls the nation a success. Overall pride sits at 53 percent, which is down slightly from last year but still better than some recent administrations. Republicans are the backbone of that pride, with around four in five saying they’re proud of the country today.
Patriotism is even stronger and broader than pride, with about seven in ten voters saying they consider themselves patriotic. That jumps to roughly nine in ten among MAGA Republicans and stays high among older voters and White evangelicals. White voters report higher patriotism overall compared to non-White and Black voters, a gap that underlines different lived experiences and political messaging across communities.
Young voters are the least inclined to say they’re proud of the country, with under-30s at about 44 percent. Older cohorts, especially those 45 and up, are much more likely to express pride, which helps explain why Republican-leaning groups skew more positive. When people were asked in their own words what it means to be American, freedom and liberty came up first, followed by national pride, heritage, civic duty, and the American Dream.
FOX NEWS POLL: MOVE OVER BIG BROTHER, VOTERS SEE BIG TECH AS GREATER THREAT TO US captures another strand of concern that crosses party lines: institutions and large companies worry voters. Still, optimism about the future is growing, with 54 percent saying America’s best days are ahead, an 11-point jump from last year. Republicans are the most optimistic block, far more likely than Democrats or independents to believe the best days are still ahead, and Republican optimism has surged since 2023.
Not everyone shares that confidence, though; about 45 percent say the country’s best days are behind us. Views on the future are tightly linked to party, and shifts since 2023 show optimism rising among Republicans while falling for Democrats. At the same time, six in ten voters say democracy is not working well today, including three-quarters of Democrats and independents and nearly 40 percent of Republicans, signaling broad institutional unease.
Practical concerns are playing into how people plan their lives this summer, too. A majority would rather have more money for a vacation than more time to spend on one, reversing trends from a decade ago when time was the priority. Despite widespread disapproval of the job President Trump is doing on gas prices, with three-quarters saying they disapprove (77 percent), most travelers report they haven’t changed summer plans because of pump prices, with 60 percent saying travel plans stayed the same.
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Conducted June 12–15, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (101) and cellphones (644) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (257). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
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