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    Chapter 8.3 · Report

    Party and place

    Across 12 policy issues in 2013 to 2021, Democrats and Republicans in the same kind of county differ by 43.1 points, and one party's members in deep-blue and deep-red counties differ by 5.6 points.

    Every estimate of the chapter with its interval and every figure as a table, generated from the chapter's data files. Table n of this report is figure n of the chapter. The same report as Markdown: report.md.

    Identification

    Title
    Party and place
    Chapter
    8.3 (Part VIII, Places and the people in them; Votes, giving and places)
    Question
    How much do partisans' issue positions differ between deep-red and deep-blue counties, compared with the gap between parties?
    Dek
    Across 12 policy issues in 2013 to 2021, Democrats and Republicans in the same kind of county differ by 43.1 points, and one party's members in deep-blue and deep-red counties differ by 5.6 points.
    Grain
    individuals
    Status
    draft
    Published
    Updated
    not revised
    Data sources
    • Cooperative Election Study. Cooperative Election Study cumulative common content, 2006-2021 policy items, party identification and county FIPS; years: 2006-2024 (every year; self-reported turnout is available in the 10 even years); weights: weight_cumulative
    • County election returns. County presidential returns 2004-2020 (repaired file), two-party margin; years: President 1868-2024 (40 elections); House and Senate 1990-2024; weights: none (full counts)
    • State presidential returns. State presidential returns 1976-2024, two-party margin; years: 1976-2024 (13 elections); weights: none (full counts)
    • ANES Cumulative Data File. ANES Time Series Cumulative Data File, waves 2012-2024, state identifier, issue items; years: 1948-2024 (33 study years; even years only after 2004; no 2006, 2010 or 2014 study); weights: weight (VCF0009z)
    Canonical URL
    https://vishalsingh.org/politics/party-and-place
    Markdown
    https://vishalsingh.org/politics/party-and-place/report.md
    BibTeX
    @misc{singh2026partyandplace,
      author = {Singh, Vishal},
      title = {Party and place},
      year = {2026},
      url = {https://vishalsingh.org/politics/party-and-place},
      note = {In The Public Mind. Published 30 September 2026.}
    }

    Principal estimates

    The facts the dek and the opening prose cite, in order of appearance. Every fact is in the table of all estimates below.

    EstimandPopulationPeriodValueIntervalnWeightsSourceFact id
    count of issuesthe CES policy questions used in the chapterCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked12none (count)Cooperative Election Studyn_issues
    average over the issues of the party gap: Democratic minus Republican share taking the Democratic side, averaged over deep-red and deep-blue countiesDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked43.195% CI 41.8 to 44.5118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Studyparty_gap_mean
    average over the issues of the place gap: deep-blue minus deep-red county share taking the Democratic side, averaged over Democrats and RepublicansDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked5.695% CI 4.7 to 6.6118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Studyplace_gap_mean
    average party gap divided by average place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked7.695% CI 6.4 to 9.3118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Studyratio_means
    count of issuesissues whose average place gap has an interval above zeroCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked12none (count)Cooperative Election Studyn_place_avg_ci_pos
    a county is deep red or deep blue at this margin or morecounty classificationCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked20none (count)Cooperative Election Studydeep_cut
    count of respondentsCES respondents interviewed in 2013 to 2021 with a matched county and a positive weight, in any party group or noneCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked333,335none (count)Cooperative Election Studyn_matched
    count of respondentsCES respondents interviewed in 2013 to 2021 with a matched county, a positive weight and one of the five party groupsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked320,988none (count)Cooperative Election Studyn_pool
    number of resampling clustersstates and the District of Columbia with matched respondents, Alaska excludedCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked50none (count)Cooperative Election Studyn_states
    bootstrap replicatescluster bootstrapCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked2,000none (count)Cooperative Election Studyboot_reps
    definition of the scalethe top of the scale on which every issue is coded, where 100 is the side that Democrats take more oftenCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked100none (count)Cooperative Election Studyscale_max

    Findings

    Among Democrats and Republicans interviewed by the Cooperative Election Study (CES) from 2013 to 2021 who live in deep-red or deep-blue counties, the party gap averages 43.1 (95% CI 41.8 to 44.5)43.1 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues of the party gap: Democratic minus Republican share taking the Democratic side, averaged over deep-red and deep-blue countiesInterval95% CI 41.8 to 44.5n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study pointsPercentage pointThe unit for the difference between two percentages. A change from one share to another is stated in points, not in percent, so that absolute and relative change are not confused. over 1212 policy questionsEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationthe CES policy questions used in the chapterPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study issues and the place gap averages 5.6 (95% CI 4.7 to 6.6)5.6 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues of the place gap: deep-blue minus deep-red county share taking the Democratic side, averaged over Democrats and RepublicansInterval95% CI 4.7 to 6.6n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points. Both gaps are differences in the share of respondents who take the Democratic side of a policy question. The party gap is larger than the place gap on every issue, and the ratio of the two averages is 7.6 (95% CI 6.4 to 9.3)7.6 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandaverage party gap divided by average place gapInterval95% CI 6.4 to 9.3n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study. Before adjustment, the interval for the place gap lies above zero on all 1212 issuesEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues whose average place gap has an interval above zeroPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study issues, so the place gap is small and not zero.

    The party gap compares Democrats with Republicans who live in the same kind of county. The place gap compares members of one party who live in deep-blue counties with those who live in deep-red counties, where a deep county has a two-party presidential margin of 2020 points of two-party marginEstimanda county is deep red or deep blue at this margin or moreWeightsnone (count)Populationcounty classificationPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points or more toward one party. A stricter cutoff compares more extreme places, and the adjustments for demographics and state in the section on Republican and Democratic place gaps compare respondents who resemble each other or live in the same state. Each of these choices defines which respondents are compared, and under every one of them the place gap is a difference between people who live in different places rather than an estimate of what living there does to a person, since people choose where to live.

    The data are CES interviews from 2013 to 2021, 333,335333,335 respondentsEstimandcount of respondentsWeightsnone (count)PopulationCES respondents interviewed in 2013 to 2021 with a matched county and a positive weight, in any party group or nonePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of which could be matched to a county, and 320,988320,988 respondentsEstimandcount of respondentsWeightsnone (count)PopulationCES respondents interviewed in 2013 to 2021 with a matched county, a positive weight and one of the five party groupsPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of those belong to a party group used in this chapter. Each is matched to the two-party marginCounty two-party marginThe Democratic vote minus the Republican vote, divided by the sum of the two, so a positive value is a Democratic lead. Votes for other candidates are left out. of the respondent's county in the most recent presidential election, counting the election of the interview year, and every estimate uses survey weightsSurvey weightsNumbers that scale each respondent so the sample matches the population on known traits such as age, race, education and region. A weighted average counts a respondent with a large weight for more than one with a small weight.. The main comparison of party and place uses the 2013 to 2021 interviews. The trend across presidential cycles in Table 8 uses the longer source window of 2006 to 2021, so it includes surveys that the main comparison leaves out.Unless stated otherwise, every intervalConfidence intervalA range around an estimate that would contain the true value in 95% of repeated samples if the sampling model held. The book reports 95% intervals unless it says otherwise. in this chapter is a 95% interval from a bootstrap that resamples whole states (5050 clustersEstimandnumber of resampling clustersWeightsnone (count)Populationstates and the District of Columbia with matched respondents, Alaska excludedPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study clusters, 2,0002,000 replicatesEstimandbootstrap replicatesWeightsnone (count)Populationcluster bootstrapPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study replicates). The exceptions and the method are in the methods note at the end of the chapter. The Chapter 2.1, Cohort change in partisan sorting chapter follows the growth of party differences within birth cohorts, and this chapter asks how much of what remains depends on where a respondent lives.

    Respondents are Democrats or Republicans by the three-point party question, so leanersPartisan leanerA respondent who first says they are independent but, when asked, says they lean toward one party. Most figures group leaners with the party they lean toward, and each chapter says which grouping it uses. belong to neither group. Each issue is a yes-or-no question, coded so that 100100 pointsEstimanddefinition of the scaleWeightsnone (count)Populationthe top of the scale on which every issue is coded, where 100 is the side that Democrats take more oftenPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study is the side that Democrats take more often: support for an assault weapons ban, for example, and opposition to repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The party gap on an issue is the Democratic minus Republican difference in the share taking that side, averaged over deep-red and deep-blue counties. The place gap is the deep-blue minus deep-red difference in that share, averaged over Democrats and Republicans.

    The party gap exceeds the place gap on every issue

    Table 1 shows both gaps for each issue. The party gap runs from 13.3 (95% CI 12.0 to 14.9)13.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandsmallest party gap over the issues (universal background checks)Interval95% CI 12.0 to 14.9n96,237Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points on universal background checks to 64.1 (95% CI 62.5 to 65.8)64.1 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandlargest party gap over the issues (border wall)Interval95% CI 62.5 to 65.8n60,875Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points on spending for a border wall. The place gap runs from 2.1 (95% CI 0.9 to 3.1)2.1 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandsmallest place gap over the issues (universal background checks)Interval95% CI 0.9 to 3.1n96,237Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points on background checks to 12.0 (95% CI 9.2 to 14.6)12.0 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandlargest place gap over the issues (abortion)Interval95% CI 9.2 to 14.6n113,602Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points on abortion. On no issue do the intervals for the two gaps touch.

    Repeal of the ACA shows what the two gaps look like in levels.The cumulative CES file codes the 2014 answers to the question on repealing the ACA in the opposite direction from the other years: the Republican minus Democratic share supporting repeal is negative in 2014 and positive in each of the other nine survey years. The 2014 answers are reversed here on that evidence and on the cumulative file's release notes; the 2014 value labels have not been checked against the original questionnaire. The sections on ratios and trends report what changes if they are dropped instead. In deep-red counties 83.1%83.1% percent of respondents supporting repeal of the ACAEstimandweighted share supporting repeal; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 82.0% to 84.1%n30,100Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans in deep-red countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study of Republicans and 25.6%25.6% percent of respondents supporting repeal of the ACAEstimandweighted share supporting repeal; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 23.8% to 27.0%n22,175Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep-red countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study of Democrats support repeal, and in deep-blue counties 78.6%78.6% percent of respondents supporting repeal of the ACAEstimandweighted share supporting repeal; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 77.5% to 80.0%n16,459Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans in deep-blue countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study and 21.7%21.7% percent of respondents supporting repeal of the ACAEstimandweighted share supporting repeal; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 19.7% to 23.5%n49,379Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep-blue countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study. The party gap on this issue is 57.257.2 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 55.8 to 58.8n118,113Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points and the place gap is 4.24.2 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 2.8 to 5.4n118,113Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points, a ratio of 13.713.7 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoInterval95% CI 10.7 to 20.2n118,113Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study. On an assault weapons ban the party gap is 41.941.9 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 40.3 to 43.8n118,066Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points and the place gap 7.57.5 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 6.1 to 9.0n118,066Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points, a ratio of 5.65.6 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoInterval95% CI 4.6 to 7.1n118,066Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study. On spending for a border wall the party gap is 64.164.1 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 62.5 to 65.8n60,875Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2017 to 2021, not 2019SourceCooperative Election Study points and the place gap 4.14.1 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 2.9 to 5.3n60,875Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2017 to 2021, not 2019SourceCooperative Election Study points, a ratio of 15.515.5 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoInterval95% CI 12.0 to 22.0n60,875Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2017 to 2021, not 2019SourceCooperative Election Study.

    The issues were asked in different years, listed in the data table under the figure. Border wall spending was asked only from 2017, and legal gay marriage only through 2016, so the averages combine periods and describe a set of questions rather than a single year.

    The ratio varies widely by issue

    Table 2 divides the party gap by the place gap on each issue. The ratio is 3.6 (95% CI 2.6 to 5.6)3.6 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandsmallest party to place ratio over the issues (legal gay marriage)Interval95% CI 2.6 to 5.6n50,260Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study on legal gay marriage and 15.5 (95% CI 12.0 to 22.0)15.5 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandlargest party to place ratio over the issues (border wall)Interval95% CI 12.0 to 22.0n60,875Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study on spending for a border wall. The issues with the two smallest ratios, legal gay marriage and abortion, are the two with the largest place gaps, 10.210.2 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 6.6 to 13.7n50,260Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2016SourceCooperative Election Study and 12.012.0 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 9.2 to 14.6n113,602Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2014 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points, against party gaps of 36.436.4 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 33.6 to 39.3n50,260Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2016SourceCooperative Election Study and 46.546.5 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 44.7 to 48.7n113,602Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2014 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points. The ratios for repeal of the ACA and Medicare for All are the next largest after the border wall's, and the intervals for the three largest ratios overlap, so their order is not settled. If the 2014 answers to the ACA question are dropped instead of reversed, repeal of the ACA has the largest ratio, 16.7 (95% CI 12.0 to 28.8)16.7 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandrepeal of the ACA, party gap divided by place gap, with the 2014 answers dropped instead of reversedInterval95% CI 12.0 to 28.8n101,590Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021 without 2014SourceCooperative Election Study. The ratio for Medicare for All, 12.1 (95% CI 7.9 to 31.4)12.1 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoInterval95% CI 7.9 to 31.4n61,141Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2018 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study, has the widest interval, because its place gap of 4.24.2 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 1.7 to 6.4n61,141Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2018 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points is small and a small denominator makes a ratio move with the sample. The median ratio across issues is 8.4 (95% CI 6.7 to 11.0)8.4 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandmedian over the issues of the party gap divided by the place gapInterval95% CI 6.7 to 11.0n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study and the ratio of the average gaps is 7.6 (95% CI 6.4 to 9.3)7.6 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandaverage party gap divided by average place gapInterval95% CI 6.4 to 9.3n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study; each interval lies above equal gaps.

    Sensitivity to the county cutoff and to leaners

    Two choices in the definition of the gaps move their levels. A deep county is one at or beyond a cutoff on the county margin, and a stricter cutoff compares more extreme places. Table 3 reports the averages at cutoffs of 1010 points of two-party marginEstimandlower cutoff triedWeightsnone (count)Populationsensitivity check on the deep-county cutoffPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study and 4040 points of two-party marginEstimandhigher cutoff triedWeightsnone (count)Populationsensitivity check on the deep-county cutoffPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points as well as the 2020 points of two-party marginEstimanda county is deep red or deep blue at this margin or moreWeightsnone (count)Populationcounty classificationPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study used elsewhere, and with leaners counted as partisans. The place gap is larger when counties are more extreme, the ratio falls as the cutoff rises, and the party gap is larger than the place gap under every definition.

    Support varies less across county margins than between the parties

    The deep-county comparison uses only the two ends of the distribution of counties. Table 4 uses every county, grouped into seven bins by two-party margin, for the issues in the panels. In every panel the Democratic and Republican lines are at least 33.033.0 points (distance between the Democratic and Republican lines)Estimandsmallest distance between the two party lines over the seven county bins and the five issues, in the share supporting the policyn35Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in the five panels of the county-margin figurePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points apart in every bin. In 99 linesEstimandcount of linesWeightsnone (count)Populationlines whose change from the most Republican to the most Democratic bin is toward the Democratic side of the issue with an interval that excludes zeroPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of the 1010 linesEstimandcount of linesWeightsnone (count)Populationparty lines drawn in the five panels of the county-margin figurePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study lines the change from the most Republican to the most Democratic bin is toward the Democratic side of the issue, with an interval that excludes zero. The exception is Republican support for a path to legal status, which changes by +3.1 (95% CI −1.1 to 8.5)+3.1 points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)Estimanddifference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI −1.1 to 8.5n16,673Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicansPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2018SourceCooperative Election Study points.

    The two largest changes are among Republicans, +20.1 (95% CI 14.8 to 24.0)+20.1 points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)Estimanddifference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 14.8 to 24.0n20,616Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicansPeriodCES survey years 2014 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points on abortion and +17.0 (95% CI 10.3 to 21.5)+17.0 points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)Estimanddifference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 10.3 to 21.5n8,126Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicansPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2016SourceCooperative Election Study points on legal gay marriage, which are also the issues with the largest place gaps. On the assault weapons ban, Republican support rises from 36.5%36.5% percent of respondents supportingEstimandweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 34.5% to 38.6%n14,432Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans in the most Republican bin of countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study in the most Republican bin to 49.0%49.0% percent of respondents supportingEstimandweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 44.8% to 53.4%n6,811Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans in the most Democratic bin of countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study in the most Democratic bin, a change of +12.6 (95% CI 8.6 to 16.9)+12.6 points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)Estimanddifference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 8.6 to 16.9n21,243Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicansPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points, and Democratic support goes from 81.2%81.2% percent of respondents supportingEstimandweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 78.6% to 83.5%n8,553Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in the most Republican bin of countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study to 87.3%87.3% percent of respondents supportingEstimandweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 86.3% to 88.6%n27,716Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in the most Democratic bin of countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study. Republican respondents in Democratic counties support a ban more often than Republican respondents in Republican counties, and the change is shallow next to the 41.941.9 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimanddifference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapInterval95% CI 40.3 to 43.8n118,066Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points that separate the parties on this issue.

    Republican place gaps are larger on most issues

    Table 5 splits the place gap by party, and the difference between the two parties' average place gaps has an interval that includes zero. Of the 2424 party by issue combinationsEstimandcount of combinationsWeightsnone (count)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans on each issuePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study place gaps, one for each party on each issue, all 2424 party by issue combinationsEstimandcount of combinations with a positive point estimateWeightsnone (count)Populationcombinations with a place gap above zeroPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study have deep-blue counties on the more Democratic side, and 2222 party by issue combinationsEstimandcount of combinations with a positive intervalWeightsnone (count)Populationcombinations whose interval lies above zeroPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study have an interval above zero. The Republican gap is larger than the Democratic gap on 99 issuesEstimandcount of issues with a point estimate of the difference above zero to one decimalWeightsnone (count)Populationissues where the Republican place gap exceeds the Democratic one by at least a tenth of a pointPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of the 1212 policy questionsEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationthe CES policy questions used in the chapterPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study issues, and the two are equal to one decimal on easier concealed carry. The interval for the difference lies above zero on 55 issuesEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues where the difference has an interval above zeroPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of them, and on 44 issuesEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues where the interval for the difference lies above zero by less than one point at its lower endPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of those its lower end is below 11 pointsEstimandcutoff used to count intervals that only just clear zeroWeightsnone (count)Populationa lower interval end within this many points of zero is called close to zeroPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study point. It lies below zero on no issue. Averaged over issues, the Republican place gap is 6.8 (95% CI 5.0 to 8.5)6.8 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues of the Republican place gapInterval95% CI 5.0 to 8.5n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points and the Democratic place gap 4.5 (95% CI 2.8 to 6.3)4.5 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues of the Democratic place gapInterval95% CI 2.8 to 6.3n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points. The difference, 2.3 (95% CI −0.7 to 5.1)2.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues of the Republican place gap minus the Democratic place gapInterval95% CI −0.7 to 5.1n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points, has an interval that includes zero.

    The second and third views of the figure adjust for education, race, age and gender in a weighted linear probability modelLinear probability modelA regression of a yes-or-no outcome on predictors, fitted by least squares so that each coefficient is a change in the probability of yes. The book weights it and reports robust standard errors., and the third adds state fixed effectsFixed effectsRegression terms that give each group, such as each country or each year, its own baseline. The other coefficients then compare respondents within the same group., so that the comparison is between respondents in the same state. Adjusting for demographics alone leaves 1515 party by issue combinationsEstimandcount of combinations, model with demographics onlyWeightsnone (count)Populationadjusted place gaps smaller than the raw gapPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of the 2424 party by issue combinationsEstimandcount of combinationsWeightsnone (count)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans on each issuePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study gaps smaller than the raw gap, and adding state fixed effects leaves 2222 party by issue combinationsEstimandcount of combinations, model with demographics and state fixed effectsWeightsnone (count)Populationadjusted place gaps smaller than the raw gapPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study, with 1616 party by issue combinationsEstimandcount of combinations, model with demographics and state fixed effectsWeightsnone (count)Populationadjusted place gaps with an interval above zeroPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of the 2424 party by issue combinationsEstimandcount of combinationsWeightsnone (count)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans on each issuePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study having an interval above zero. The state fixed effects compare respondents within states, so they rest on the 3434 statesEstimandcount of states that identify the state fixed effects gapWeightsnone (count)Populationstates holding both a deep-red and a deep-blue county for the party and issue (fewest over the combinations)PeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study to 3838 statesEstimandcount of states that identify the state fixed effects gapWeightsnone (count)Populationstates holding both a deep-red and a deep-blue county for the party and issue (most over the combinations)PeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study states, depending on party and issue, that hold both deep-red and deep-blue counties. The change from the raw gap therefore combines the adjustment with a change in sample. With both adjustments the Republican gap is larger than the Democratic gap on 88 issuesEstimandcount of issues with a positive point estimateWeightsnone (count)Populationissues where the adjusted Republican place gap exceeds the Democratic one, demographics and state fixed effectsPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of the 1212 policy questionsEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationthe CES policy questions used in the chapterPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study issues, and the interval for the difference lies above zero on the assault weapons ban and background checks only. On the assault weapons ban the adjusted Republican gap is 8.7 (95% CI 6.8 to 10.7)8.7 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandplace gap from a weighted linear regression with education, race, age, gender and state fixed effects; standard errors clustered by stateInterval95% CI 6.8 to 10.7n46,481Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points and the Democratic gap 4.4 (95% CI 2.3 to 6.6)4.4 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandplace gap from a weighted linear regression with education, race, age, gender and state fixed effects; standard errors clustered by stateInterval95% CI 2.3 to 6.6n71,507Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points, a difference of +4.3 (95% CI 1.3 to 7.3)+4.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)EstimandRepublican minus Democratic place gap, coefficient on deep-blue by Republican in a weighted regression with education, race, age, gender and state fixed effects; every term interacted with party; standard errors clustered by stateInterval95% CI 1.3 to 7.3n118,066Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study points. On abortion and legal gay marriage the adjusted intervals for the two parties overlap.

    Independents with no lean have larger place gaps than partisans

    Here an independent is a respondent at the middle of the seven-point party scale who did not name a party, and the two groups of leaners are shown apart. Across the 1212 policy questionsEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationthe CES policy questions used in the chapterPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study issues, the average place gap of independents with no lean is 9.2 (95% CI 7.4 to 10.7)9.2 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues of the place gap among Independents with no leanInterval95% CI 7.4 to 10.7n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationIndependents who lean toward neither party (middle of the seven-point scale) in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points, which is 3.5 (95% CI 1.9 to 5.0)3.5 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage place gap of Independents with no lean minus the average place gap of Democrats and RepublicansInterval95% CI 1.9 to 5.0n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationIndependents with no lean, Democrats and Republicans in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points more than the average for Democrats and Republicans together. Table 6 shows all five groups. In point estimates the place gap of independents with no lean is larger than both partisan place gaps on 99 issuesEstimandcount of issues, point estimatesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues where the Independents' place gap exceeds both partisan gapsPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study of the 1212 policy questionsEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationthe CES policy questions used in the chapterPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study issues. Democratic leaners have an average place gap of 3.33.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues of the place gap among Democratic leanersInterval95% CI 2.0 to 4.6n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocratic leaners in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points and Republican leaners of 6.76.7 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues of the place gap among Republican leanersInterval95% CI 4.6 to 8.8n118,638Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublican leaners in deep countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points.

    Table 7 follows one issue, support for universal background checks, which has the smallest party gap and the smallest place gap of the issues in Table 1, across the bins of county margin for all the party groups. Democrats support the policy at 95.0%95.0% percent of respondents supporting universal background checksEstimandweighted share supporting; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 94.2% to 95.9%n11,448Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats, lowest of the seven county binsPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study to 96.3%96.3% percent of respondents supporting universal background checksEstimandweighted share supporting; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 95.3% to 97.1%n10,899Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats, highest of the seven county binsPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study in every bin, near the top of the scale, which leaves little room to rise, and Republicans at 80.3%80.3% percent of respondents supporting universal background checksEstimandweighted share supporting; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 78.6% to 81.8%n11,459Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans, lowest of the seven county binsPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study to 84.4%84.4% percent of respondents supporting universal background checksEstimandweighted share supporting; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 82.4% to 86.2%n7,804Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans, highest of the seven county binsPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study. Independents with no lean go from 79.0%79.0% percent of respondents supportingEstimandweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 75.6% to 82.1%n5,500Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationIndependents with no lean in the most Republican bin of countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study support in the most Republican bin to 86.1%86.1% percent of respondents supportingEstimandweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 83.8% to 87.8%n5,701Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationIndependents with no lean in the most Democratic bin of countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study in the most Democratic bin, a change of +7.1 (95% CI 3.2 to 10.8)+7.1 points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)Estimanddifference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 3.2 to 10.8n11,201Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationIndependents with no leanPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points. Republican leaners go from 71.0%71.0% percent of respondents supportingEstimandweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 68.7% to 73.7%n3,870Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublican leaners in the most Republican bin of countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study to 79.3%79.3% percent of respondents supportingEstimandweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 75.7% to 82.2%n2,270Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublican leaners in the most Democratic bin of countiesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study, a change of +8.3 (95% CI 3.8 to 11.9)+8.3 points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)Estimanddifference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 3.8 to 11.9n6,140Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublican leanersPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points. Both intervals lie above zero. For Democrats and Democratic leaners the interval for the change includes zero, and for Republicans the change is +3.4 (95% CI 0.0 to 5.9)+3.4 points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)Estimanddifference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 0.0 to 5.9n17,030Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicansPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points and the interval reaches zero.

    The party gap rose on most issues

    Table 8 follows 44 issuesEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues drawn in the trend panelsPeriodCES cyclesSourceCooperative Election Study issues across presidential cycles, including the two with the longest history, border security and a path to legal status. A presidential cycle pools the surveys from one presidential election to the next and uses the county margin of that election, so the 2016 cycle covers surveys from 2016 to 2019. The trend draws on the 2006 to 2021 source window rather than on the 2013 to 2021 interviews of the main comparison alone, so its earlier cycles include surveys from before 2013. Between the first and last cycle in which an issue was asked, the party gap rose on 33 issuesEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues drawn in the trend panels whose party gap rose between the first and last cycle, with an interval above zeroPeriodCES cyclesSourceCooperative Election Study of the 44 issuesEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues drawn in the trend panelsPeriodCES cyclesSourceCooperative Election Study issues, with an interval above zero. On repeal of the ACA the party gap went from 53.853.8 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandparty gap in the 2012 cycleInterval95% CI 51.8 to 55.8n41,833Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2012 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study points in the 2012 cycle to 55.855.8 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandparty gap in the 2020 cycleInterval95% CI 54.2 to 57.7n31,281Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2020 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study points in the 2020 cycle, a change of +2.0 (95% CI 0.0 to 4.1)+2.0 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedInterval95% CI 0.0 to 4.1n73,114Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points whose interval reaches zero. With the 2014 answers dropped instead of reversed, the change is +5.9 (95% CI 3.6 to 8.3)+5.9 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandrepeal of the ACA, change in the party gap from the 2012 to the 2020 cycle, with the 2014 answers dropped instead of reversedInterval95% CI 3.6 to 8.3n73,114Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2020 without 2014SourceCooperative Election Study points, with an interval above zero.Not every issue was asked in every survey, so an endpoint can rest on one or two surveys. The 2004 cycle is the 2007 survey alone and its groups are small, universal background checks in the 2020 cycle rest on the 2021 survey alone, and abortion in the 2012 cycle rests on the 2014 and 2015 surveys. The survey years behind every point are in the data tables.

    Table 9 gives the change for all 1212 policy questionsEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationthe CES policy questions used in the chapterPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study issues, grouped by the span of cycles over which each was asked. The party gap rose on 88 issuesEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues whose party gap rose between the first and last cycle, with an interval above zeroPeriodCES cyclesSourceCooperative Election Study of them with an interval above zero. It fell on universal background checks, where the change is −3.3 (95% CI −6.0 to −0.7)−3.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedInterval95% CI −6.0 to −0.7n35,013Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points, and the interval includes zero on 33 issuesEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationissues whose party gap change between the first and last cycle has an interval that includes zeroPeriodCES cyclesSourceCooperative Election Study: legal gay marriage, repeal of the ACA and cutting legal immigration. The issues asked over the longest span, border security and a path to legal status, have the widest intervals: between the 2004 and 2020 cycles the party gap rose by +16.7+16.7 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedInterval95% CI 9.4 to 26.0n34,077Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES cycles 2004 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points on border security and +15.5+15.5 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedInterval95% CI 10.2 to 22.9n34,074Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES cycles 2004 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points on a path to legal status. Between the 2012 and 2020 cycles it rose by +13.4+13.4 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedInterval95% CI 9.8 to 17.0n52,266Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points on abortion and +10.3+10.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedInterval95% CI 7.6 to 13.4n56,992Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points on the assault weapons ban.

    The average place gap changed by more than sampling error on 33 issuesEstimandcount of issues whose change has an interval that excludes zeroWeightsnone (count)Populationissues whose average place gap changed by more than sampling error between the first and last cyclePeriodCES cyclesSourceCooperative Election Study of the 1212 policy questionsEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationthe CES policy questions used in the chapterPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study issues, and each change is a fall: −5.8 (95% CI −8.7 to −2.4)−5.8 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the place gap averaged over the two partiesInterval95% CI −8.7 to −2.4n52,266Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesPeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points on abortion, −4.2 (95% CI −6.4 to −1.8)−4.2 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the place gap averaged over the two partiesInterval95% CI −6.4 to −1.8n67,144Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesPeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2016SourceCooperative Election Study on legal gay marriage and −3.1 (95% CI −5.3 to −0.9)−3.1 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the place gap averaged over the two partiesInterval95% CI −5.3 to −0.9n73,114Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesPeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study on repeal of the ACA. With the 2014 answers to the ACA question dropped instead of reversed, the change on repeal of the ACA is −0.7 (95% CI −3.0 to 1.6)−0.7 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandrepeal of the ACA, change in the place gap averaged over the two parties from the 2012 to the 2020 cycle, with the 2014 answers dropped instead of reversedInterval95% CI −3.0 to 1.6n73,114Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesPeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2020 without 2014SourceCooperative Election Study points, and its interval includes zero. The fall on abortion is mostly a Democratic one: the Democratic place gap goes from 14.614.6 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)EstimandDemocratic place gap on abortionInterval95% CI 9.6 to 19.2n20,940Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2012 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study points in the 2012 cycle to 4.94.9 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)EstimandDemocratic place gap on abortionInterval95% CI 2.0 to 8.2n31,326Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2020 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study points in the 2020 cycle, and the Republican gap from 13.813.8 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)EstimandRepublican place gap on abortionInterval95% CI 9.0 to 17.8n20,940Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans in deep countiesPeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2012 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study to 12.012.0 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)EstimandRepublican place gap on abortionInterval95% CI 7.5 to 15.7n31,326Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationRepublicans in deep countiesPeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2020 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study points. The Democratic place gap on a path to legal status changed by −7.1 (95% CI −10.3 to −4.2)−7.1 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the Democratic place gap on a path to legal status between cyclesInterval95% CI −10.3 to −4.2n81,377Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES cycles 2012 to 2016SourceCooperative Election Study points between the 2012 and 2016 cycles, from 9.09.0 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)EstimandDemocratic place gap on a path to legal statusInterval95% CI 5.5 to 12.5n42,924Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2012 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study to 1.91.9 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)EstimandDemocratic place gap on a path to legal statusInterval95% CI 0.0 to 3.7n38,453Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2016 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study points. It was 1.71.7 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)EstimandDemocratic place gap on a path to legal statusInterval95% CI −0.2 to 3.6n31,307Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES surveys pooled in the 2020 presidential cycleSourceCooperative Election Study points in the 2020 cycle, a change of −0.2 (95% CI −2.6 to 2.2)−0.2 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandchange in the Democratic place gap on a path to legal status between cyclesInterval95% CI −2.6 to 2.2n69,760Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats in deep countiesPeriodCES cycles 2016 to 2020SourceCooperative Election Study points from 2016. The steps before 2012 have intervals that include zero.

    A second survey gives ratios of the same order

    The CES records the respondent's county. The American National Election Studies (ANES) record only the state, so a check with ANES uses a coarser place. Table 10 repeats the calculation for strong and not very strong partisans in deep states, meaning states with a two-party presidential margin of 2020 points of two-party marginEstimanda county is deep red or deep blue at this margin or moreWeightsnone (count)Populationcounty classificationPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points or more. The four groups of party by state type hold 3,7523,752 respondentsEstimandsmallest count of respondents in the four cells behind any of the five ANES measuresWeightsnone (count)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File to 4,4104,410 respondentsEstimandlargest count of respondents in the four cells behind any of the five ANES measuresWeightsnone (count)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File respondents in all, depending on the measure, and 3,9333,933 respondentsEstimandcount of respondents in the four cells behind the ideology scaleWeightsnone (count)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File on the liberal-conservative scale.ANES states are known for only part of the 2024 sample, and the gun question was not asked in 2024. The ANES partisans are those who call themselves strong or not very strong Democrats or Republicans, which matches the three-point CES measure. Leaners are excluded. The liberal-conservative scale, rescaled so that 100100 pointsEstimanddefinition of the scaleWeightsnone (count)Populationthe top of the scale on which every issue is coded, where 100 is the side that Democrats take more oftenPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study is the most liberal answer, has a party gap of 41.341.3 points (difference in the liberal-conservative index, liberal = 100, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandparty gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 38.8 to 43.6n3,933Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File points and a place gap of 4.74.7 points (difference in the liberal-conservative index, liberal = 100, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandplace gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 1.7 to 8.8n3,933Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File points, a ratio of 8.8 (95% CI 4.7 to 24.2)8.8 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandparty gap divided by place gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 4.7 to 24.2n3,933Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File. The ratios on the ANES issue questions have smaller point estimates: 3.23.2 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandparty gap divided by place gap at the state levelInterval95% CI 2.3 to 6.5n3,752Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File for making it harder to buy a gun, 2.92.9 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandparty gap divided by place gap at the state levelInterval95% CI 1.4 to 9.0n4,005Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File for not decreasing immigration, 2.82.8 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandparty gap divided by place gap at the state levelInterval95% CI 1.1 to 8.9n3,889Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File for a law against job discrimination and 2.5 (95% CI 1.5 to 4.2)2.5 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandparty gap divided by place gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 1.5 to 4.2n4,410Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File for abortion. Among these questions only the interval for abortion lies below the interval for the ideology scale, as the ratio tab of the figure shows.

    Abortion is the one question asked in both surveys. At the state level, ANES gives a party gap of 42.942.9 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandparty gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 37.7 to 47.6n4,410Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File points and a place gap of 17.417.4 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandplace gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 11.2 to 28.2n4,410Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File points, and the CES gives 46.446.4 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandabortion always legal, state levelInterval95% CI 43.7 to 48.7n113,602Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2014 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study and 14.314.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandabortion always legal, state levelInterval95% CI 11.2 to 18.9n113,602Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2014 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study, a ratio of 3.2 (95% CI 2.3 to 4.3)3.2 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandabortion always legal, state levelInterval95% CI 2.3 to 4.3n113,602Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2014 to 2021SourceCooperative Election Study against 2.52.5 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandparty gap divided by place gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalInterval95% CI 1.5 to 4.2n4,410Weightsweight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)Populationstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024SourceANES Cumulative Data File in ANES. Over all issues at the state level, the CES party gap is 43.343.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues at the state levelInterval95% CI 41.2 to 45.2n67,860Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points, the place gap 5.55.5 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandaverage over the issues at the state levelInterval95% CI 3.3 to 8.2n67,860Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points and the ratio 7.9 (95% CI 5.1 to 13.7)7.9 ratio (party gap divided by place gap)Estimandaverage over the issues at the state levelInterval95% CI 5.1 to 13.7n67,860Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or morePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study, close to the county-level values in Table 1. The ANES intervals are wide because each group of party by state type holds a limited number of states and respondents, and the two surveys differ in questions, years and level of place. They agree on the order of magnitude of the ratio, and the intervals are too wide to say more.

    The party gap does not vary clearly with state partisanship

    Table 11 asks whether the party gap depends on how Democratic or Republican a state is. Each dot is a state, with its party gap averaged over the issues plotted against the state's mean two-party margin. The state party gap averages 45.745.7 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandmean over states of the state party gap averaged over the issuesn49Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issuePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points, with a standard deviationStandard deviationA measure of how far values typically fall from their average. A larger standard deviation means the values are more spread out. of 5.45.4 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandstandard deviation across states of the state party gapn49Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issuePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election StudyNoteThe spread includes sampling error in each state's estimate. No interval. points across 4949 statesEstimandcount of states in the scatterWeightsnone (count)Populationstates with enough respondents on at least ten issuesPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study states. That spread includes the sampling error of each state's estimate, whose standard error is 1.31.3 points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Estimandmedian across states of the standard error of the state party gap averaged over the issues (Taylor linearisation, respondents treated as independent within a state)n49Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issuePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points in the median state. The District of Columbia is not plotted because too few issues have enough respondents of each party there. The fitted slope is −0.5 (95% CI −1.3 to 0.4)−0.5 points of party gap per 10 points of state Democratic marginEstimandleast squares slope of the state party gap on the state's mean two-party margin, times 10; bootstrap over statesInterval95% CI −1.3 to 0.4n49Weightsweight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)PopulationDemocrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issuePeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points of party gap per 1010 points of two-party marginEstimandstep in the state margin used for the slopeWeightsnone (count)Populationslope of the state party gap on the state marginPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study points of Democratic margin. The point estimate is a fall in the gap as states become more Democratic, and the interval also includes no change.

    Hopkins argued that American political behavior has nationalized, with voters more engaged with national politics than with the politics of places nearer home [1]. If that account holds, the party gap should depend little on a state's partisanship, and the flat slope is consistent with it, though the interval also allows a modest fall. This chapter does not test the account, and a flat relation across states says nothing about influence inside a county or a neighborhood, which Planned, Variation in opinion within places (planned) takes up.

    What these data cannot show

    The place gap is a difference between respondents who live in different counties. It is not an estimate of what a county does to a person. People choose where to live, and the respondents who live in deep-blue counties may differ from those in deep-red counties in ways that survey questions on education, race, age and gender do not capture. Mummolo and Nall ask why partisans do not sort more by place and study the constraints on political segregation [2]. Earlier work on political context, from a 1984 survey in South Bend, Indiana, found that people build discussion networks that match their own views, that the political composition of their social context limits this, and that the interaction favors the local majority [3]. A cross-section cannot separate influence from selection, and evidence on people who move is the design that can. Planned, Movers and opinion change (planned) takes up that design.

    The party gap is not an estimate of what a party does to an opinion either. Party identification and issue positions shape each other, and party has taken on other identities, so a Democrat and a Republican also differ in race, religion and much else [4]. The two gaps are also measured on 1212 policy questionsEstimandcount of issuesWeightsnone (count)Populationthe CES policy questions used in the chapterPeriodCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askedSourceCooperative Election Study questions that were available in the survey, on guns, immigration, abortion, marriage, health care and climate. Their ratio would change with a different set of issues, and the ceiling of a share on a yes-or-no question limits how large a gap can be. The policy questions end in 2021, so the chapter says nothing about later years.

    The county is one level of place. A finer level, such as a neighborhood, could show larger place gaps, and a coarser one, such as the state, shows the ANES and CES gaps above. The chapter does not measure the variation in opinion among people who live in one place, which Planned, Variation in opinion within places (planned) measures, or the share of partisans who live where their party loses, which Planned, Partisans in the other party's territory (planned) measures. Place-specific contexts such as recent immigration may matter more for some issues than the county margin does, as Planned, Immigration and local context (planned) examines, and the change in a county's vote over time has its own accounting in Planned, Composition and behavior in county change (planned).

    The intervals describe sampling variation in an opt-in online panel. They treat the states as an independent sample of clusters and the survey weights as correct, and they do not cover error from who joins the panel or from question wording. With few clusters, standard cluster-robust tests can over-reject [5], and the resampling method used here is simpler than the one that paper proposes. The ratio is uncertain where the place gap is small.

    Tables

    Table 1. On every issue the gap between parties is larger than the gap between deep-red and deep-blue counties

    Gap in the share taking the Democratic side, in points, by issue; Democrats and Republicans in deep counties; CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    IssueDemocratic side of the questionSurvey yearsParty gapParty gap, lowParty gap, highPlace gapPlace gap, lowPlace gap, highRatioSmallest group, n
    Assault weapons banSupport an assault weapons ban2013 to 202141.940.343.87.56.19.05.616,440
    Background checksSupport universal background checks for gun buyers2013 to 2021, not 202013.312.014.92.10.93.16.513,375
    Concealed carryOppose easier concealed carry2013 to 202138.837.140.74.83.46.48.116,452
    Border securityOppose more spending on border security2013 to 2021, not 201840.238.642.05.33.76.77.613,428
    Path to legal statusSupport a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants2013 to 2021, not 201838.736.940.34.12.65.89.613,422
    Border wallOppose spending on a border wall2017 to 2021, not 201964.162.565.84.12.95.315.58,257
    Gay marriageSupport legal gay marriage2013 to 201636.433.639.310.26.613.73.67,161
    Repeal the ACAOppose repealing the Affordable Care Act2013 to 202157.255.858.84.22.85.413.716,459
    EPA regulates CO2Support letting the EPA regulate carbon dioxide2014 to 202144.442.346.55.23.56.98.615,459
    Abortion legalSupport always allowing abortion as a matter of choice2014 to 202146.544.748.712.09.214.63.915,818
    Medicare for AllSupport Medicare for All2018 to 202151.349.353.64.21.76.412.18,385
    Cut immigrationOppose cutting legal immigration by half2018 to 202044.242.645.74.12.55.910.87,157

    Note: A deep county is one where the two-party presidential margin is at or beyond the cutoff stated in the text. The share is measured on the side of each issue that Democrats take more often, which the data table names for each question.

    Note: The issues were asked in different survey years, listed in the data table, so the averages combine periods. The number in a tooltip is the smallest of the four party by county-type groups behind the row.

    Note: Ratios are computed from unrounded gaps, so a ratio can differ in its last digit from the quotient of the gaps as printed.

    Note: Intervals are 95% intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states; they are model based and ignore the design of the panel.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/gaps_by_issue.json

    Table 2. The party gap is between 3.6 and 15.5 times the place gap, depending on the issue

    Party gap divided by place gap, by issue, with 95% intervals; Democrats and Republicans in deep counties; CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    issuenratioratio_hiratio_lo
    Border wall8,25715.4821.9912.04
    Repeal the ACA16,45913.7520.2210.67
    Medicare for All8,38512.1331.417.86
    Abortion legal15,8183.895.163.12
    EPA regulates CO215,4598.6013.076.22
    Cut immigration7,15710.7617.657.43
    Assault weapons ban16,4405.627.094.55
    Border security13,4287.6110.856.02
    Concealed carry16,4528.1511.596.08
    Path to legal status13,4229.5515.436.43
    Gay marriage7,1613.565.622.63
    Background checks13,3756.4714.124.23

    Note: The number in a tooltip is the smallest of the four party by county-type groups behind the ratio. The interval is skewed to the right where the place gap is small. The intervals for the three largest ratios overlap, and with the 2014 answers to the ACA question dropped instead of reversed, repeal of the ACA has the largest ratio.

    Note: Ratios are computed from unrounded gaps, so a ratio can differ in its last digit from the quotient of the gaps as printed.

    Note: Intervals are 95% intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states; they are model based and ignore the design of the panel.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/ratio_by_issue.json

    Table 3. The party gap exceeds the place gap under every definition, and the ratio falls as the county cutoff rises

    Average party gap and place gap over the issues, in points (share taking the Democratic side), and their ratio, with 95% intervals; CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    DefinitionParty gapParty gap, lowParty gap, highPlace gapPlace gap, lowPlace gap, highRatioRatio, lowRatio, high
    Deep county: margin of 10 points or more43.842.745.04.53.85.29.88.411.7
    Deep county: margin of 20 points or more (used in this chapter)43.141.844.55.64.76.67.66.49.3
    Deep county: margin of 40 points or more42.340.144.57.35.88.95.84.67.5
    Leaners counted as partisans, margin of 20 points or more44.643.446.05.44.56.38.37.110.1

    Note: Ratios are computed from unrounded gaps, so a ratio can differ in its last digit from the quotient of the gaps as printed.

    Note: Intervals are 95% intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states; they are model based and ignore the design of the panel.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/definition_checks.json

    Table 4. Within each party, support changes less across county margins than it differs between the parties

    Share supporting the policy (%) by party and two-party margin of the respondent's county, seven bins of counties; five issues; CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    binconf_highconf_lowestimateissuemarginnparty
    Below -4083.4978.6381.16Assault weapons ban−53.358,553Democrats
    -40 to -2084.6181.2483.00Assault weapons ban−29.0913,631Democrats
    -20 to -586.7482.8084.81Assault weapons ban−12.7013,578Democrats
    -5 to 587.0382.6584.91Assault weapons ban0.11213,026Democrats
    5 to 2087.4085.7886.56Assault weapons ban12.2025,300Democrats
    20 to 4088.2985.2486.68Assault weapons ban28.4821,675Democrats
    Above 4088.5986.3287.29Assault weapons ban56.2627,716Democrats
    Below -4038.6534.4836.47Assault weapons ban−53.3514,432Republicans
    -40 to -2040.5536.6238.73Assault weapons ban−29.0915,619Republicans
    -20 to -542.3937.6240.22Assault weapons ban−12.7011,652Republicans
    -5 to 543.0537.7340.29Assault weapons ban0.1129,253Republicans
    5 to 2045.4840.8243.35Assault weapons ban12.2014,228Republicans
    20 to 4048.9044.4046.96Assault weapons ban28.489,629Republicans
    Above 4053.4344.8449.04Assault weapons ban56.266,811Republicans
    Below -4075.6169.0872.62Path to legal status−53.356,731Democrats
    -40 to -2074.1270.0272.14Path to legal status−29.0910,838Democrats
    -20 to -574.8370.9072.89Path to legal status−12.7011,500Democrats
    -5 to 575.2170.2172.70Path to legal status0.11210,868Democrats
    5 to 2075.9573.9774.97Path to legal status12.2021,339Democrats
    20 to 4078.1074.7976.47Path to legal status28.4818,012Democrats
    Above 4079.1876.6277.95Path to legal status56.2623,266Democrats
    Below -4036.1632.9034.40Path to legal status−53.3511,088Republicans
    -40 to -2036.3233.0134.63Path to legal status−29.0912,294Republicans
    -20 to -535.0432.0733.68Path to legal status−12.709,881Republicans
    -5 to 537.3633.8335.49Path to legal status0.1127,640Republicans
    5 to 2037.9432.6835.41Path to legal status12.2011,721Republicans
    20 to 4039.7135.6437.72Path to legal status28.487,837Republicans
    Above 4042.7434.0337.53Path to legal status56.265,585Republicans
    Below -4029.3425.1327.44Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)−53.358,556Democrats
    -40 to -2026.2222.4624.38Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)−29.0913,619Democrats
    -20 to -525.9622.4424.14Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)−12.7013,555Democrats
    -5 to 524.4121.3022.93Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)0.11213,014Democrats
    5 to 2023.2119.7321.69Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)12.2025,277Democrats
    20 to 4024.3719.2421.95Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)28.4821,665Democrats
    Above 4023.7918.7321.58Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)56.2627,714Democrats
    Below -4083.7280.9082.42Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)−53.3514,470Republicans
    -40 to -2084.8382.5383.71Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)−29.0915,630Republicans
    -20 to -586.7984.5985.73Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)−12.7011,652Republicans
    -5 to 584.5482.0183.16Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)0.1129,251Republicans
    5 to 2083.0780.2181.47Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)12.2014,220Republicans
    20 to 4080.8977.9579.42Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)28.489,633Republicans
    Above 4079.8476.2277.40Repeal the ACA (support for repeal)56.266,826Republicans
    Below -4073.8966.7470.37Abortion legal−53.358,255Democrats
    -40 to -2076.2571.9074.15Abortion legal−29.0913,015Democrats
    -20 to -579.8276.7778.39Abortion legal−12.7012,696Democrats
    -5 to 580.6475.5478.21Abortion legal0.11212,287Democrats
    5 to 2082.0878.6780.43Abortion legal12.2024,028Democrats
    20 to 4082.9677.8580.38Abortion legal28.4820,804Democrats
    Above 4084.9881.9883.59Abortion legal56.2626,619Democrats
    Below -4023.1219.9721.57Abortion legal−53.3514,058Republicans
    -40 to -2027.8223.3925.76Abortion legal−29.0915,033Republicans
    -20 to -531.6226.0228.88Abortion legal−12.7010,900Republicans
    -5 to 534.3929.4832.33Abortion legal0.1128,783Republicans
    5 to 2035.5529.4332.95Abortion legal12.2013,516Republicans
    20 to 4038.4832.1535.59Abortion legal28.489,260Republicans
    Above 4045.0536.3141.62Abortion legal56.266,558Republicans
    Below -4068.3759.6463.90Gay marriage−53.353,353Democrats
    -40 to -2071.4164.6067.99Gay marriage−29.096,079Democrats
    -20 to -575.9368.9372.89Gay marriage−12.706,730Democrats
    -5 to 576.6267.9772.01Gay marriage0.1126,378Democrats
    5 to 2077.2470.6274.08Gay marriage12.2011,861Democrats
    20 to 4077.2867.9472.45Gay marriage28.489,357Democrats
    Above 4079.1570.8175.20Gay marriage56.2612,598Democrats
    Below -4027.8122.7925.22Gay marriage−53.355,044Republicans
    -40 to -2031.0026.7028.98Gay marriage−29.096,668Republicans
    -20 to -535.0528.8931.87Gay marriage−12.705,720Republicans
    -5 to 539.4633.0036.45Gay marriage0.1124,399Republicans
    5 to 2040.1134.0237.51Gay marriage12.206,431Republicans
    20 to 4041.7835.9238.96Gay marriage28.484,079Republicans
    Above 4045.5035.9442.18Gay marriage56.263,082Republicans

    Note: Counties are grouped by the Democratic minus Republican margin of the most recent presidential election; the data table names the bins. The two outer bins cover a wider range of margins than the others.

    Note: Intervals are 95% intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states; they are model based and ignore the design of the panel.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/support_by_margin.json

    Table 5. The Republican place gap is larger on most issues, but the interval for the average difference includes zero

    Place gap in points (deep-blue minus deep-red counties, share taking the Democratic side) for Democrats and Republicans, by issue; CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    ModelIssueDemocratsDemocrats, lowDemocrats, highRepublicansRepublicans, lowRepublicans, highRepublican minus DemocraticDifference, lowDifference, highDemocrats, nRepublicans, nDemocrats, statesRepublicans, states
    rawBorder wall1.9−0.54.36.43.88.4+4.5+0.2+8.436,26124,6145050
    rawRepeal the ACA3.81.46.34.52.66.0+0.7−3.0+3.971,55446,5595050
    rawMedicare for All2.71.24.25.70.89.7+3.0−1.9+7.136,11825,0235050
    rawAbortion legal9.56.112.914.410.917.5+4.9+0.5+8.568,69344,9095050
    rawEPA regulates CO23.71.95.56.63.510.0+2.9−0.9+7.166,94143,6985050
    rawCut immigration3.51.36.04.82.86.8+1.3−1.5+4.130,03721,4175050
    rawAssault weapons ban4.72.96.910.27.912.6+5.4+2.0+8.671,57546,4915050
    rawBorder security6.23.39.14.32.16.4−1.9−6.0+2.458,83236,8125050
    rawConcealed carry4.82.87.24.82.47.40.0−3.5+3.671,62246,5335050
    rawPath to legal status5.02.87.33.10.56.0−1.9−5.7+1.958,84736,8045050
    rawGay marriage7.52.412.513.09.316.2+5.5+0.7+10.231,38718,8735050
    rawBackground checks0.5−0.21.33.61.45.6+3.0+0.5+5.358,36537,8725050
    demographicsBorder wall1.2−1.03.32.30.54.1+1.1−2.3+4.536,19324,6045050
    demographicsRepeal the ACA3.61.75.52.71.14.2−0.9−3.4+1.571,48646,5495050
    demographicsMedicare for All2.00.63.53.30.56.1+1.3−1.7+4.236,05025,0135050
    demographicsAbortion legal10.17.113.112.89.516.0+2.7−0.3+5.668,62544,8995050
    demographicsEPA regulates CO23.82.25.45.73.18.2+1.9−1.3+5.066,87343,6885050
    demographicsCut immigration2.60.64.70.4−1.52.3−2.3−4.7+0.230,03721,4175050
    demographicsAssault weapons ban5.74.07.510.58.212.8+4.8+1.9+7.771,50746,4815050
    demographicsBorder security4.92.47.41.7−0.13.5−3.1−6.7+0.458,76436,8025050
    demographicsConcealed carry5.73.97.55.12.67.6−0.7−3.7+2.471,55446,5235050
    demographicsPath to legal status3.21.35.11.1−1.33.5−2.1−5.2+1.058,77936,7945050
    demographicsGay marriage10.26.613.812.79.016.3+2.5−1.7+6.631,38718,8735050
    demographicsBackground checks1.00.31.84.11.86.4+3.1+0.5+5.658,29737,8625050
    demographics_stateBorder wall0.7−1.62.92.1−0.14.4+1.4−2.5+5.336,19324,6043735
    demographics_stateRepeal the ACA2.80.64.91.5−0.23.1−1.3−4.1+1.571,48646,5493835
    demographics_stateMedicare for All1.70.23.22.5−0.25.2+0.8−2.2+3.936,05025,0133735
    demographics_stateAbortion legal6.43.49.48.16.110.1+1.7−1.9+5.268,62544,8993835
    demographics_stateEPA regulates CO22.60.84.35.53.17.9+2.9−0.6+6.566,87343,6883835
    demographics_stateCut immigration1.90.13.81.0−1.33.3−0.9−3.1+1.330,03721,4173734
    demographics_stateAssault weapons ban4.42.36.68.76.810.7+4.3+1.3+7.371,50746,4813735
    demographics_stateBorder security3.10.55.71.6−0.23.5−1.4−5.2+2.458,76436,8023835
    demographics_stateConcealed carry4.52.56.44.92.67.2+0.5−3.1+4.071,55446,5233835
    demographics_statePath to legal status2.70.74.72.0−0.44.4−0.7−4.0+2.658,77936,7943835
    demographics_stateGay marriage5.61.210.18.64.712.5+3.0−1.7+7.631,38718,8733634
    demographics_stateBackground checks0.7−0.31.63.31.35.3+2.6+0.5+4.758,29737,8623735

    Views: Raw (model = raw); Demographics (model = demographics); Demographics + state fixed effects (model = demographics_state).

    Note: Raw gaps and the raw difference come from a bootstrap over states. Adjusted gaps are coefficients from weighted linear regressions among Democrats or Republicans in deep counties, with standard errors clustered by state and normal intervals. The adjusted difference is the coefficient on deep-blue by Republican in a regression with every term interacted with party, clustered the same way.

    Note: Rows are in the order of the first figure (party gap, largest first) in every view. The numbers in a tooltip are the respondents behind each dot. The data table gives the difference, its interval and the number of states behind each gap.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/place_gap_by_party.json

    Table 6. The average place gap is larger among independents with no lean than among Democrats and Republicans

    Place gap averaged over the issues, in points (deep-blue minus deep-red counties, share taking the Democratic side), by party group, with 95% intervals; CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    nparty_idplace_gapplace_gap_hiplace_gap_lo
    9,432Democrats4.496.292.79
    2,804Democratic leaners3.334.591.98
    5,761Independents (no lean)9.1810.707.37
    2,783Republican leaners6.698.784.58
    7,157Republicans6.788.475.00

    Note: The tooltip shows the smallest of the two county-type groups behind each average. The place gaps of Democrats and Republicans in this figure are the same as the averages in the figure on Republican and Democratic place gaps. Intervals are 95% intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states; they are model based and ignore the design of the panel.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/place_gap_by_party_id.json

    Table 7. Support for background checks rises with county margin among independents and Republican leaners, not among Democrats

    Share supporting universal background checks (%) by party identification and two-party margin of the respondent's county, seven bins of counties; CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    binconf_highconf_lowestimatemarginnparty_id
    Below -4096.8194.8195.91−53.357,003Democrats
    -40 to -2095.8794.2195.02−29.0911,448Democrats
    -20 to -596.7895.4696.20−12.7011,168Democrats
    -5 to 597.0995.3196.290.11210,899Democrats
    5 to 2096.4695.2395.8712.2020,631Democrats
    20 to 4096.7095.3796.0428.4817,396Democrats
    Above 4096.6195.0695.8056.2622,518Democrats
    Below -4096.6692.9194.77−53.352,183Lean Dem.
    -40 to -2096.2393.8795.06−29.093,477Lean Dem.
    -20 to -595.6692.4194.06−12.703,152Lean Dem.
    -5 to 596.7793.5295.180.1122,952Lean Dem.
    5 to 2097.0695.6496.3712.205,520Lean Dem.
    20 to 4097.2394.1195.6128.484,321Lean Dem.
    Above 4097.1395.4696.2156.264,813Lean Dem.
    Below -4082.1275.6578.95−53.355,500Independents
    -40 to -2083.9279.8982.06−29.096,604Independents
    -20 to -585.3678.8382.51−12.705,603Independents
    -5 to 587.8782.4485.180.1124,769Independents
    5 to 2086.6183.5885.1312.208,452Independents
    20 to 4087.7083.3085.6728.486,078Independents
    Above 4087.8183.7686.0956.265,701Independents
    Below -4073.6868.6770.95−53.353,870Lean Rep.
    -40 to -2074.7468.6371.91−29.094,417Lean Rep.
    -20 to -577.8870.7674.35−12.703,652Lean Rep.
    -5 to 578.9173.1076.150.1122,888Lean Rep.
    5 to 2081.7476.6779.3812.204,687Lean Rep.
    20 to 4083.1577.3780.4728.483,132Lean Rep.
    Above 4082.1575.7479.2856.262,270Lean Rep.
    Below -4081.7978.6380.31−53.3511,459Republicans
    -40 to -2082.3678.7980.73−29.0913,038Republicans
    -20 to -583.1579.2581.50−12.709,468Republicans
    -5 to 584.3880.0382.260.1127,663Republicans
    5 to 2084.2880.8582.8412.2011,619Republicans
    20 to 4086.1782.4584.4228.487,804Republicans
    Above 4085.6780.2983.6656.265,571Republicans

    Note: The vertical axis starts at 60%, not at zero, so slopes look steeper than in the county-margin figure with a full axis.

    Note: Intervals are 95% intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states; they are model based and ignore the design of the panel.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/bg_checks_by_party_id.json

    Table 8. The party gap rose on 3 of these 4 issues across presidential cycles and stayed above both place gaps

    Gap in points (share taking the Democratic side) by presidential cycle, Democrats and Republicans in deep counties; four issues; CES surveys 2006 to 2021

    IssueSeriesPresidential cycleSurvey yearsEstimateLowHighSmallest group, n
    Path to legal statusBetween-party gap2004200727.820.833.1367
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Democrats2004200711.22.218.4367
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Republicans200420071.9−3.59.3367
    Path to legal statusBetween-party gap20082010 and 201132.129.334.92,932
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Democrats20082010 and 20119.24.214.82,932
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Republicans20082010 and 20112.7−0.66.92,932
    Path to legal statusBetween-party gap20122012 to 201535.732.938.16,215
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Democrats20122012 to 20159.05.512.56,215
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Republicans20122012 to 20153.80.27.86,215
    Path to legal statusBetween-party gap20162016 and 2017 and 201940.037.742.05,394
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Democrats20162016 and 2017 and 20191.90.03.75,394
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Republicans20162016 and 2017 and 20193.5−0.47.55,394
    Path to legal statusBetween-party gap20202020 and 202143.341.445.34,267
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Democrats20202020 and 20211.7−0.23.64,267
    Path to legal statusPlace gap, Republicans20202020 and 20212.5−0.45.24,267
    Border securityBetween-party gap2004200730.120.537.9367
    Border securityPlace gap, Democrats200420076.2−2.612.7367
    Border securityPlace gap, Republicans20042007−2.8−11.58.4367
    Border securityBetween-party gap20082010 and 201129.427.031.42,932
    Border securityPlace gap, Democrats20082010 and 20119.55.913.32,932
    Border securityPlace gap, Republicans20082010 and 20112.3−1.55.72,932
    Border securityBetween-party gap20122012 to 201533.230.635.96,215
    Border securityPlace gap, Democrats20122012 to 20156.12.49.66,215
    Border securityPlace gap, Republicans20122012 to 20153.70.16.96,215
    Border securityBetween-party gap20162016 and 2017 and 201941.038.942.95,396
    Border securityPlace gap, Democrats20162016 and 2017 and 20196.83.410.25,396
    Border securityPlace gap, Republicans20162016 and 2017 and 20194.01.76.95,396
    Border securityBetween-party gap20202020 and 202146.845.148.84,271
    Border securityPlace gap, Democrats20202020 and 20217.53.410.84,271
    Border securityPlace gap, Republicans20202020 and 20214.62.06.64,271
    Repeal the ACABetween-party gap20122012 to 201553.851.855.86,062
    Repeal the ACAPlace gap, Democrats20122012 to 20158.65.511.66,062
    Repeal the ACAPlace gap, Republicans20122012 to 20152.3−0.44.76,062
    Repeal the ACABetween-party gap20162016 to 201959.558.061.58,476
    Repeal the ACAPlace gap, Democrats20162016 to 20191.2−1.84.08,476
    Repeal the ACAPlace gap, Republicans20162016 to 20195.23.46.98,476
    Repeal the ACABetween-party gap20202020 and 202155.854.257.74,262
    Repeal the ACAPlace gap, Democrats20202020 and 20210.2−2.83.04,262
    Repeal the ACAPlace gap, Republicans20202020 and 20214.51.77.04,262
    Abortion legalBetween-party gap20122014 and 201539.636.942.33,052
    Abortion legalPlace gap, Democrats20122014 and 201514.69.619.23,052
    Abortion legalPlace gap, Republicans20122014 and 201513.89.017.83,052
    Abortion legalBetween-party gap20162016 to 201946.544.349.28,493
    Abortion legalPlace gap, Democrats20162016 to 20199.25.612.78,493
    Abortion legalPlace gap, Republicans20162016 to 201915.611.319.38,493
    Abortion legalBetween-party gap20202020 and 202153.050.455.74,273
    Abortion legalPlace gap, Democrats20202020 and 20214.92.08.24,273
    Abortion legalPlace gap, Republicans20202020 and 202112.07.515.74,273

    Note: A presidential cycle pools the surveys from one presidential election to the next and uses the county margin of that election. Not every issue was asked in every survey, so the first and last cycle of an issue can rest on one or two surveys. Survey years behind the first and last cycle of each panel: Path to legal status, 2004 cycle 2007 and 2020 cycle 2020 and 2021; Border security, 2004 cycle 2007 and 2020 cycle 2020 and 2021; Repeal the ACA, 2012 cycle 2012 to 2015 and 2020 cycle 2020 and 2021; Abortion legal, 2012 cycle 2014 and 2015 and 2020 cycle 2020 and 2021. The data table gives the survey years behind every point.

    Note: The 2004 cycle rests on one survey year, so its bands are wide. A cycle with a party by county-type group below the suppression floor would be dropped; none was. The number in a tooltip is the smallest of the four party by county-type groups behind the estimate.

    Note: Intervals are 95% intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states; they are model based and ignore the design of the panel.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2006-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/gap_trend.json

    Table 9. The party gap rose on 8 of 12 issues over spans that differ by issue, and fell on background checks

    Change in the between-party gap in points (share taking the Democratic side), first to last presidential cycle in which each issue was asked, grouped by span; Democrats and Republicans in deep counties; CES surveys 2006 to 2021

    IssueCyclesSurvey years, first cycleSurvey years, last cycleParty gap changeLowHighParty gap change per cyclePlace gap changePlace gap change, lowPlace gap change, highSmaller endpoint, n
    Border securityCycles 2004 to 202020072020 and 2021+16.7+9.4+26.0+4.2+4.3−2.6+10.62,767
    Path to legal statusCycles 2004 to 202020072020 and 2021+15.5+10.2+22.9+3.9−4.5−9.8+0.92,767
    Abortion legalCycles 2012 to 20202014 and 20152020 and 2021+13.4+9.8+17.0+6.7−5.8−8.7−2.420,940
    Assault weapons banCycles 2012 to 20202013 to 20152020 and 2021+10.3+7.6+13.4+5.2−1.5−4.5+1.425,669
    Concealed carryCycles 2012 to 20202013 to 20152020 and 2021+6.8+3.8+10.2+3.4−0.9−3.7+1.825,716
    EPA regulates CO2Cycles 2012 to 20202014 and 20152020 and 2021+3.5+0.3+7.2+1.8−1.0−4.4+2.320,800
    Repeal the ACACycles 2012 to 20202012 to 20152020 and 2021+2.00.0+4.1+1.0−3.1−5.3−0.931,281
    Background checksCycles 2012 to 20202013 to 20152021−3.3−6.0−0.7−1.6−1.3−3.6+1.19,240
    Gay marriageCycles 2012 to 20162012 to 20152016−2.1−4.3+0.5−2.1−4.2−6.4−1.824,606
    Border wallCycles 2016 to 20202017 and 20182020 and 2021+6.1+4.1+8.3+6.1−0.3−2.2+1.629,562
    Medicare for AllCycles 2016 to 20202018 and 20192020 and 2021+5.7+3.2+8.5+5.7−1.6−4.1+0.829,844
    Cut immigrationCycles 2016 to 20202018 and 20192020−0.5−3.0+2.1−0.5+0.2−2.0+2.422,064

    Views: Party gap; Place gap.

    Note: Issues were asked over different spans, so the cycles differ by row. The survey years behind each cycle, the change per cycle and the change in the place gap with its interval are in the data table. The number in a tooltip is the size of the smaller of the two endpoint cycles.

    Note: Universal background checks were not asked in 2020, so the last cycle for that issue rests on the 2021 survey alone.

    Note: Intervals are 95% intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states; they are model based and ignore the design of the panel.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2006-2021; county returns for the two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/party_gap_change.json

    Table 10. In both surveys the party gap is larger than the place gap on every measure

    Party gap and place gap at the state level, and their ratio, by measure; ANES waves 2012 to 2024 and CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    Table 10.1. Gaps

    The party gap is larger than the place gap on every measure in both surveys

    Gap in points on a 0 to 100 scale, strong and not very strong partisans in deep states; ANES waves 2012 to 2024 and CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    MeasurePlace levelParty gapParty gap, lowParty gap, highPlace gapPlace gap, lowPlace gap, highRespondents
    ANES ideologystate41.338.843.64.71.78.83,933
    ANES abortionstate42.937.747.617.411.228.24,410
    ANES gun purchasestate44.141.050.013.86.719.33,752
    ANES immigrationstate27.723.030.59.42.918.04,005
    ANES job discriminationstate16.511.519.66.01.613.23,889
    CES abortionstate46.443.748.714.311.218.9113,602
    CES all issues, statestate43.341.245.25.53.38.267,860
    CES all issues, countycounty43.141.844.55.64.76.6118,638

    Table 10.2. Ratio

    Among the ANES measures, only the abortion ratio has an interval below the one for the ideology scale

    Party gap divided by place gap, with 95% intervals, strong and not very strong partisans in deep states; ANES waves 2012 to 2024 and CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    MeasurePlace levelRatioRatio, lowRatio, highRespondents
    ANES ideologystate8.84.724.23,933
    ANES abortionstate2.51.54.24,410
    ANES gun purchasestate3.22.36.53,752
    ANES immigrationstate2.91.49.04,005
    ANES job discriminationstate2.81.18.93,889
    CES abortionstate3.22.34.3113,602
    CES all issues, statestate7.95.113.767,860
    CES all issues, countycounty7.66.49.3118,638

    Note: ANES partisans are strong and not very strong identifiers, which matches the three-point CES measure. Leaners are excluded. State is known for only part of the 2024 ANES sample, and the gun question was not asked in 2024.

    Note: Each issue in ANES is a different question from the CES issues except abortion, so only the abortion rows compare the same wording. Intervals come from a bootstrap over the states in the ANES sample and are wide because the deep-state groups are small.

    Source: ANES cumulative data file, waves 2012-2024, weighted (VCF0009z); CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021, weighted (weight_cumulative); state returns for the two-party margin

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/anes_check.json

    Table 11. The party gap averages 45.7 points across states and shows no clear relation to a state's partisanship

    State party gap averaged over the issues, in points, against the state's mean two-party presidential margin; Democrats and Republicans; CES survey years 2013 to 2021

    StateState two-party marginParty gapStandard errorParty gap, lowParty gap, highRespondents per issue
    AL−26.341.51.338.944.12,259
    AZ−4.649.91.048.051.93,836
    AR−27.141.01.737.744.21,287
    CA+28.944.10.643.045.215,069
    CO+7.353.31.251.055.72,446
    CT+16.641.31.837.844.81,569
    DE+15.743.02.438.347.8650
    FL−1.041.80.640.742.912,328
    GA−4.942.60.940.944.35,087
    HI+36.031.53.225.237.7479
    ID−34.351.22.246.855.6761
    IL+17.643.50.841.845.16,436
    IN−16.144.41.042.446.43,457
    IA−4.047.91.345.350.51,539
    KS−20.749.81.646.752.91,215
    KY−27.639.51.436.942.22,683
    LA−19.138.01.634.941.01,758
    ME+8.549.22.145.153.3789
    MD+28.946.71.044.848.73,066
    MA+28.345.81.443.148.62,552
    MI+3.844.51.042.646.54,873
    MN+5.052.21.150.054.42,676
    MS−15.837.11.833.740.61,162
    MO−15.448.11.046.150.23,397
    MT−18.656.22.251.960.5502
    NE−23.552.71.649.655.9950
    NV+4.046.41.643.349.51,851
    NH+3.750.52.246.254.8692
    NJ+16.042.00.940.143.84,431
    NM+10.149.31.945.553.11,018
    NY+27.838.90.737.640.310,028
    NC−2.744.90.843.246.54,781
    ND−31.948.43.242.154.6313
    OH−4.442.30.740.943.86,810
    OK−36.047.41.744.150.71,528
    OR+13.257.31.155.259.42,468
    PA+1.843.30.642.144.59,050
    RI+21.539.63.433.046.2404
    SC−12.843.41.141.245.72,259
    SD−26.252.72.547.857.6413
    TN−24.345.51.243.247.93,129
    TX−10.543.40.642.244.610,983
    UT−32.245.11.741.748.51,215
    VT+34.041.23.933.648.8298
    VA+6.145.51.043.647.34,569
    WA+17.353.21.151.055.53,329
    WV−37.437.81.834.241.31,078
    WI+2.248.40.946.550.23,156
    WY−47.154.43.048.560.4265

    Note: The dots carry no whiskers because the scatter chart draws none. The data table gives each state's standard error and a 95% interval (normal, from a linearised standard error that treats respondents within a state as independent). The largest standard error is 3.9 points, and the smallest state has 265 Democrats and Republicans per issue on average.

    Note: A state needs at least 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans on an issue for that issue to count, and at least ten issues to appear. The tooltip shows the average number of respondents per issue. The District of Columbia has fewer than ten such issues and is not plotted, so the scatter has 49 states while the bootstrap for the other estimates has 50 clusters.

    Source: CES cumulative common content, 2013-2021; state presidential returns (MEDSL) for the state two-party margin; weighted (weight_cumulative)

    Data: vishalsingh.org/politics/report/party-and-place/figures/state_party_gap.json

    All estimates

    Every fact in facts.json (148), sorted by id. The same values as JSON: facts.json.

    Fact idValueUnitEstimandPopulationPeriodIntervalnWeightsSourceNote
    abort_dem_201214.6points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Democratic place gap on abortionDemocrats in deep countiesCES surveys pooled in the 2012 presidential cycle95% CI 9.6 to 19.220,940weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_dem_20204.9points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Democratic place gap on abortionDemocrats in deep countiesCES surveys pooled in the 2020 presidential cycle95% CI 2.0 to 8.231,326weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_party_change+13.4points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES cycles 2012 to 202095% CI 9.8 to 17.052,266weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_party_gap46.5points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2014 to 202195% CI 44.7 to 48.7113,602weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_place_change−5.8points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the place gap averaged over the two partiesDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesCES cycles 2012 to 202095% CI −8.7 to −2.452,266weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_place_gap12.0points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2014 to 202195% CI 9.2 to 14.6113,602weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_ratio3.9ratio (party gap divided by place gap)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2014 to 202195% CI 3.1 to 5.2113,602weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_rep_201213.8points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Republican place gap on abortionRepublicans in deep countiesCES surveys pooled in the 2012 presidential cycle95% CI 9.0 to 17.820,940weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_rep_202012.0points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Republican place gap on abortionRepublicans in deep countiesCES surveys pooled in the 2020 presidential cycle95% CI 7.5 to 15.731,326weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    abort_rep_diff+20.1points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)difference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicansCES survey years 2014 to 202195% CI 14.8 to 24.020,616weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_dem_blue21.7%percent of respondents supporting repeal of the ACAweighted share supporting repeal; state-cluster bootstrap intervalDemocrats in deep-blue countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 19.7% to 23.5%49,379weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_dem_red25.6%percent of respondents supporting repeal of the ACAweighted share supporting repeal; state-cluster bootstrap intervalDemocrats in deep-red countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 23.8% to 27.0%22,175weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_party_201253.8points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)party gap in the 2012 cycleDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES surveys pooled in the 2012 presidential cycle95% CI 51.8 to 55.841,833weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_party_202055.8points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)party gap in the 2020 cycleDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES surveys pooled in the 2020 presidential cycle95% CI 54.2 to 57.731,281weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_party_change+2.0points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES cycles 2012 to 202095% CI 0.0 to 4.173,114weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_party_change_drop+5.9points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)repeal of the ACA, change in the party gap from the 2012 to the 2020 cycle, with the 2014 answers dropped instead of reversedDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES cycles 2012 to 2020 without 201495% CI 3.6 to 8.373,114weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_party_gap57.2points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 55.8 to 58.8118,113weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_place_change−3.1points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the place gap averaged over the two partiesDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesCES cycles 2012 to 202095% CI −5.3 to −0.973,114weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_place_change_drop−0.7points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)repeal of the ACA, change in the place gap averaged over the two parties from the 2012 to the 2020 cycle, with the 2014 answers dropped instead of reversedDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesCES cycles 2012 to 2020 without 201495% CI −3.0 to 1.673,114weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_place_gap4.2points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 2.8 to 5.4118,113weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_ratio13.7ratio (party gap divided by place gap)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 10.7 to 20.2118,113weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_ratio_drop16.7ratio (party gap divided by place gap)repeal of the ACA, party gap divided by place gap, with the 2014 answers dropped instead of reversedDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021 without 201495% CI 12.0 to 28.8101,590weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_rep_blue78.6%percent of respondents supporting repeal of the ACAweighted share supporting repeal; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicans in deep-blue countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 77.5% to 80.0%16,459weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    aca_rep_red83.1%percent of respondents supporting repeal of the ACAweighted share supporting repeal; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicans in deep-red countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 82.0% to 84.1%30,100weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    anes_abort_party42.9points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)party gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 37.7 to 47.64,410weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_abort_place17.4points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)place gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 11.2 to 28.24,410weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_abort_ratio2.5ratio (party gap divided by place gap)party gap divided by place gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 1.5 to 4.24,410weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_guns_ratio3.2ratio (party gap divided by place gap)party gap divided by place gap at the state levelstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 2.3 to 6.53,752weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_ideo_party41.3points (difference in the liberal-conservative index, liberal = 100, on a 0 to 100 scale)party gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 38.8 to 43.63,933weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_ideo_place4.7points (difference in the liberal-conservative index, liberal = 100, on a 0 to 100 scale)place gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 1.7 to 8.83,933weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_ideo_ratio8.8ratio (party gap divided by place gap)party gap divided by place gap at the state level; state-cluster bootstrap intervalstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 4.7 to 24.23,933weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_imm_ratio2.9ratio (party gap divided by place gap)party gap divided by place gap at the state levelstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 1.4 to 9.04,005weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_lgbt_ratio2.8ratio (party gap divided by place gap)party gap divided by place gap at the state levelstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 202495% CI 1.1 to 8.93,889weight (VCF0009z, ANES cumulative full-sample weight)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_n_max4,410respondentslargest count of respondents in the four cells behind any of the five ANES measuresstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024none (count)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_n_min3,752respondentssmallest count of respondents in the four cells behind any of the five ANES measuresstrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024none (count)ANES Cumulative Data File
    anes_n_partisans3,933respondentscount of respondents in the four cells behind the ideology scalestrong and not very strong Democrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreANES waves 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024none (count)ANES Cumulative Data File
    awb_adj_diff+4.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Republican minus Democratic place gap, coefficient on deep-blue by Republican in a weighted regression with education, race, age, gender and state fixed effects; every term interacted with party; standard errors clustered by stateDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 1.3 to 7.3118,066weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_dem_adj4.4points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)place gap from a weighted linear regression with education, race, age, gender and state fixed effects; standard errors clustered by stateDemocrats in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 2.3 to 6.671,507weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_dem_first81.2%percent of respondents supportingweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalDemocrats in the most Republican bin of countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 78.6% to 83.5%8,553weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_dem_last87.3%percent of respondents supportingweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalDemocrats in the most Democratic bin of countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 86.3% to 88.6%27,716weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_party_change+10.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES cycles 2012 to 202095% CI 7.6 to 13.456,992weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_party_gap41.9points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 40.3 to 43.8118,066weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_place_gap7.5points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 6.1 to 9.0118,066weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_ratio5.6ratio (party gap divided by place gap)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 4.6 to 7.1118,066weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_rep_adj8.7points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)place gap from a weighted linear regression with education, race, age, gender and state fixed effects; standard errors clustered by stateRepublicans in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 6.8 to 10.746,481weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_rep_diff+12.6points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)difference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicansCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 8.6 to 16.921,243weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_rep_first36.5%percent of respondents supportingweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicans in the most Republican bin of countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 34.5% to 38.6%14,432weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    awb_rep_last49.0%percent of respondents supportingweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicans in the most Democratic bin of countiesCES survey years 2013 to 202195% CI 44.8% to 53.4%6,811weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_axis_start60percentaxis startthe lower end of the vertical axis of the background-check figureCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_dem_max96.3%percent of respondents supporting universal background checksweighted share supporting; state-cluster bootstrap intervalDemocrats, highest of the seven county binsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 95.3% to 97.1%10,899weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_dem_min95.0%percent of respondents supporting universal background checksweighted share supporting; state-cluster bootstrap intervalDemocrats, lowest of the seven county binsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 94.2% to 95.9%11,448weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_ind_diff+7.1points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)difference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalIndependents with no leanCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 3.2 to 10.811,201weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_ind_first79.0%percent of respondents supportingweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalIndependents with no lean in the most Republican bin of countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 75.6% to 82.1%5,500weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_ind_last86.1%percent of respondents supportingweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalIndependents with no lean in the most Democratic bin of countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 83.8% to 87.8%5,701weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_lr_diff+8.3points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)difference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublican leanersCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 3.8 to 11.96,140weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_lr_first71.0%percent of respondents supportingweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublican leaners in the most Republican bin of countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 68.7% to 73.7%3,870weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_lr_last79.3%percent of respondents supportingweighted share supporting the policy; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublican leaners in the most Democratic bin of countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 75.7% to 82.2%2,270weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_party_change−3.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES cycles 2012 to 202095% CI −6.0 to −0.735,013weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_rep_diff+3.4points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)difference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicansCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 0.0 to 5.917,030weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_rep_max84.4%percent of respondents supporting universal background checksweighted share supporting; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicans, highest of the seven county binsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 82.4% to 86.2%7,804weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bg_rep_min80.3%percent of respondents supporting universal background checksweighted share supporting; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicans, lowest of the seven county binsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 202095% CI 78.6% to 81.8%11,459weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    bin_gap_min33.0points (distance between the Democratic and Republican lines)smallest distance between the two party lines over the seven county bins and the five issues, in the share supporting the policyDemocrats and Republicans in the five panels of the county-margin figureCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked35weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    boot_reps2,000replicatesbootstrap replicatescluster bootstrapCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    border_party_change+16.7points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES cycles 2004 to 202095% CI 9.4 to 26.034,077weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ces_abort_state_party46.4points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)abortion always legal, state levelDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2014 to 202195% CI 43.7 to 48.7113,602weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ces_abort_state_place14.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)abortion always legal, state levelDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2014 to 202195% CI 11.2 to 18.9113,602weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ces_abort_state_ratio3.2ratio (party gap divided by place gap)abortion always legal, state levelDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2014 to 202195% CI 2.3 to 4.3113,602weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ces_state_party43.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues at the state levelDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 41.2 to 45.267,860weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ces_state_place5.5points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues at the state levelDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 3.3 to 8.267,860weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ces_state_ratio7.9ratio (party gap divided by place gap)average over the issues at the state levelDemocrats and Republicans in states with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 5.1 to 13.767,860weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    deep_cell_n_min7,157respondentssmallest cell countsmallest of the party by county-type cells behind any issueCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    deep_cut20points of two-party margina county is deep red or deep blue at this margin or morecounty classificationCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    fe_states_max38statescount of states that identify the state fixed effects gapstates holding both a deep-red and a deep-blue county for the party and issue (most over the combinations)CES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    fe_states_min34statescount of states that identify the state fixed effects gapstates holding both a deep-red and a deep-blue county for the party and issue (fewest over the combinations)CES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    gay_party_gap36.4points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 201695% CI 33.6 to 39.350,260weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    gay_place_change−4.2points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the place gap averaged over the two partiesDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesCES cycles 2012 to 201695% CI −6.4 to −1.867,144weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    gay_place_gap10.2points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 201695% CI 6.6 to 13.750,260weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    gay_ratio3.6ratio (party gap divided by place gap)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 201695% CI 2.6 to 5.650,260weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    gay_rep_diff+17.0points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)difference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicansCES survey years 2013 to 201695% CI 10.3 to 21.58,126weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ind_minus_partisan3.5points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average place gap of Independents with no lean minus the average place gap of Democrats and RepublicansIndependents with no lean, Democrats and Republicans in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 1.9 to 5.0118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ind_place_mean9.2points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues of the place gap among Independents with no leanIndependents who lean toward neither party (middle of the seven-point scale) in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 7.4 to 10.7118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    lean_dem_place_mean3.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues of the place gap among Democratic leanersDemocratic leaners in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 2.0 to 4.6118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    lean_rep_place_mean6.7points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues of the place gap among Republican leanersRepublican leaners in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 4.6 to 8.8118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    m4a_place_gap4.2points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2018 to 202195% CI 1.7 to 6.461,141weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    m4a_ratio12.1ratio (party gap divided by place gap)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2018 to 202195% CI 7.9 to 31.461,141weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    margin_step10points of two-party marginstep in the state margin used for the slopeslope of the state party gap on the state marginCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_adj_ci_pos16party by issue combinationscount of combinations, model with demographics and state fixed effectsadjusted place gaps with an interval above zeroCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_adj_diff_ci_pos_demo2issuescount of issuesissues where the interval for the adjusted Republican minus Democratic difference lies above zero, demographics onlyCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_adj_diff_ci_pos_fe2issuescount of issuesissues where the interval for the adjusted Republican minus Democratic difference lies above zero, demographics and state fixed effectsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_adj_smaller22party by issue combinationscount of combinations, model with demographics and state fixed effectsadjusted place gaps smaller than the raw gapCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_adj_smaller_demo15party by issue combinationscount of combinations, model with demographics onlyadjusted place gaps smaller than the raw gapCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_bin_lines10linescount of linesparty lines drawn in the five panels of the county-margin figureCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_bin_lines_toward9linescount of lineslines whose change from the most Republican to the most Democratic bin is toward the Democratic side of the issue with an interval that excludes zeroCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_ind_larger9issuescount of issues, point estimatesissues where the Independents' place gap exceeds both partisan gapsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_issues12policy questionscount of issuesthe CES policy questions used in the chapterCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_matched333,335respondentscount of respondentsCES respondents interviewed in 2013 to 2021 with a matched county and a positive weight, in any party group or noneCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_partisans_deep118,638respondentscount of respondents with a county margin and a party, any issueDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_party_flat3issuescount of issuesissues whose party gap change between the first and last cycle has an interval that includes zeroCES cyclesnone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_party_up8issuescount of issuesissues whose party gap rose between the first and last cycle, with an interval above zeroCES cyclesnone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_party_up_panels3issuescount of issuesissues drawn in the trend panels whose party gap rose between the first and last cycle, with an interval above zeroCES cyclesnone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_place_avg_ci_pos12issuescount of issuesissues whose average place gap has an interval above zeroCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_place_cells24party by issue combinationscount of combinationsDemocrats and Republicans on each issueCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_place_change_sig3issuescount of issues whose change has an interval that excludes zeroissues whose average place gap changed by more than sampling error between the first and last cycleCES cyclesnone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_place_ci_pos22party by issue combinationscount of combinations with a positive intervalcombinations whose interval lies above zeroCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_place_pos24party by issue combinationscount of combinations with a positive point estimatecombinations with a place gap above zeroCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_pool320,988respondentscount of respondentsCES respondents interviewed in 2013 to 2021 with a matched county, a positive weight and one of the five party groupsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_rep_larger9issuescount of issues with a point estimate of the difference above zero to one decimalissues where the Republican place gap exceeds the Democratic one by at least a tenth of a pointCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_rep_larger_ci5issuescount of issuesissues where the difference has an interval above zeroCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_rep_larger_ci_thin4issuescount of issuesissues where the interval for the difference lies above zero by less than one point at its lower endCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_rep_larger_demo7issuescount of issues with a positive point estimateissues where the adjusted Republican place gap exceeds the Democratic one, demographics onlyCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_rep_larger_fe8issuescount of issues with a positive point estimateissues where the adjusted Republican place gap exceeds the Democratic one, demographics and state fixed effectsCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_states50clustersnumber of resampling clustersstates and the District of Columbia with matched respondents, Alaska excludedCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_states_scatter49statescount of states in the scatterstates with enough respondents on at least ten issuesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    n_trend_items4issuescount of issuesissues drawn in the trend panelsCES cyclesnone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    party_gap_max64.1points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)largest party gap over the issues (border wall)Democrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 62.5 to 65.860,875weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    party_gap_mean43.1points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues of the party gap: Democratic minus Republican share taking the Democratic side, averaged over deep-red and deep-blue countiesDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 41.8 to 44.5118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    party_gap_min13.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)smallest party gap over the issues (universal background checks)Democrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 12.0 to 14.996,237weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    place_dem_mean4.5points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues of the Democratic place gapDemocrats in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 2.8 to 6.3118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    place_diff_mean2.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues of the Republican place gap minus the Democratic place gapDemocrats and Republicans in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI −0.7 to 5.1118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    place_gap_max12.0points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)largest place gap over the issues (abortion)Democrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 9.2 to 14.6113,602weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    place_gap_mean5.6points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues of the place gap: deep-blue minus deep-red county share taking the Democratic side, averaged over Democrats and RepublicansDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 4.7 to 6.6118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    place_gap_min2.1points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)smallest place gap over the issues (universal background checks)Democrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 0.9 to 3.196,237weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    place_rep_mean6.8points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)average over the issues of the Republican place gapRepublicans in deep countiesCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 5.0 to 8.5118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ratio_max15.5ratio (party gap divided by place gap)largest party to place ratio over the issues (border wall)Democrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 12.0 to 22.060,875weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ratio_means7.6ratio (party gap divided by place gap)average party gap divided by average place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 6.4 to 9.3118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ratio_means_county7.6ratio (party gap divided by place gap)average party gap divided by average place gap; bootstrap interval resampling counties instead of statesDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 6.7 to 8.9118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ratio_median8.4ratio (party gap divided by place gap)median over the issues of the party gap divided by the place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 6.7 to 11.0118,638weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    ratio_min3.6ratio (party gap divided by place gap)smallest party to place ratio over the issues (legal gay marriage)Democrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI 2.6 to 5.650,260weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    scale_max100pointsdefinition of the scalethe top of the scale on which every issue is coded, where 100 is the side that Democrats take more oftenCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    state_gap_mean45.7points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)mean over states of the state party gap averaged over the issuesDemocrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issueCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked49weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    state_gap_sd5.4points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)standard deviation across states of the state party gapDemocrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issueCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked49weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election StudyThe spread includes sampling error in each state's estimate. No interval.
    state_gap_slope−0.5points of party gap per 10 points of state Democratic marginleast squares slope of the state party gap on the state's mean two-party margin, times 10; bootstrap over statesDemocrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issueCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked95% CI −1.3 to 0.449weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    state_n_min265respondentsaverage number of Democrats and Republicans per issue in the state with the fewestDemocrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issueCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked265none (count)Cooperative Election Study
    state_se_max3.9points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)largest across states of the standard error of the state party gap averaged over the issues (Taylor linearisation)Democrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issueCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked49weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    state_se_median1.3points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)median across states of the standard error of the state party gap averaged over the issues (Taylor linearisation, respondents treated as independent within a state)Democrats and Republicans in each state, states with at least 50 of each on an issueCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was asked49weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    thin_cut1pointscutoff used to count intervals that only just clear zeroa lower interval end within this many points of zero is called close to zeroCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    thr_high40points of two-party marginhigher cutoff triedsensitivity check on the deep-county cutoffCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    thr_low10points of two-party marginlower cutoff triedsensitivity check on the deep-county cutoffCES survey years 2013 to 2021, each issue in the years it was askednone (count)Cooperative Election Study
    undoc_dem_20129.0points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Democratic place gap on a path to legal statusDemocrats in deep countiesCES surveys pooled in the 2012 presidential cycle95% CI 5.5 to 12.542,924weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    undoc_dem_20161.9points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Democratic place gap on a path to legal statusDemocrats in deep countiesCES surveys pooled in the 2016 presidential cycle95% CI 0.0 to 3.738,453weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    undoc_dem_20201.7points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)Democratic place gap on a path to legal statusDemocrats in deep countiesCES surveys pooled in the 2020 presidential cycle95% CI −0.2 to 3.631,307weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    undoc_dem_step_last−0.2points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the Democratic place gap on a path to legal status between cyclesDemocrats in deep countiesCES cycles 2016 to 202095% CI −2.6 to 2.269,760weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    undoc_dem_step_mid−7.1points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the Democratic place gap on a path to legal status between cyclesDemocrats in deep countiesCES cycles 2012 to 201695% CI −10.3 to −4.281,377weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    undoc_party_change+15.5points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)change in the party gap from the first to the last cycle in which the issue was askedDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES cycles 2004 to 202095% CI 10.2 to 22.934,074weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    undoc_rep_diff+3.1points (change in the share supporting, most Democratic bin minus most Republican bin)difference in the weighted share supporting between the most Democratic and the most Republican bin of counties; state-cluster bootstrap intervalRepublicansCES survey years 2013 to 2021, not 201895% CI −1.1 to 8.516,673weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    wall_party_gap64.1points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2017 to 2021, not 201995% CI 62.5 to 65.860,875weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    wall_place_gap4.1points (difference in the share taking the Democratic side, on a 0 to 100 scale)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval of the party gap or place gapDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2017 to 2021, not 201995% CI 2.9 to 5.360,875weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study
    wall_ratio15.5ratio (party gap divided by place gap)difference in the weighted share taking the Democratic side; state-cluster bootstrap interval; ratio of the twoDemocrats and Republicans (three-point party identification, leaners excluded) in counties with a two-party presidential margin of 20 points or moreCES survey years 2017 to 2021, not 201995% CI 12.0 to 22.060,875weight_cumulative (CES cumulative weight; each survey year carries the same total weight)Cooperative Election Study

    Definitions

    Percentage point
    The unit for the difference between two percentages. A change from one share to another is stated in points, not in percent, so that absolute and relative change are not confused.
    County two-party margin
    The Democratic vote minus the Republican vote, divided by the sum of the two, so a positive value is a Democratic lead. Votes for other candidates are left out.
    Survey weights
    Numbers that scale each respondent so the sample matches the population on known traits such as age, race, education and region. A weighted average counts a respondent with a large weight for more than one with a small weight.
    Confidence interval
    A range around an estimate that would contain the true value in 95% of repeated samples if the sampling model held. The book reports 95% intervals unless it says otherwise.
    Partisan leaner
    A respondent who first says they are independent but, when asked, says they lean toward one party. Most figures group leaners with the party they lean toward, and each chapter says which grouping it uses.
    Linear probability model
    A regression of a yes-or-no outcome on predictors, fitted by least squares so that each coefficient is a change in the probability of yes. The book weights it and reports robust standard errors.
    Fixed effects
    Regression terms that give each group, such as each country or each year, its own baseline. The other coefficients then compare respondents within the same group.
    Standard deviation
    A measure of how far values typically fall from their average. A larger standard deviation means the values are more spread out.

    Methods

    Sample: Cooperative Election Study interviews in 2013 to 2021 (2006 to 2021 for the trend by presidential cycle) that could be matched to a county with presidential returns, Alaska excluded, with a positive weight: 333,335 interviews in 2013 to 2021, of which 320,988 are in a party group used here and 118,638 are Democrats or Republicans in deep counties. Coding: in the cumulative file the 2014 answers to the question on repealing the Affordable Care Act have the partisan pattern of the opposite code from the other years (the Republican minus Democratic share supporting repeal is negative in 2014 and positive in every other year), so the 2014 answers are reversed. The guide to the cumulative policy file records that the 2014 question was worded differently from the other years (a vote to repeal, in Congress, after a description of the law, where the adjacent years asked whether the respondent supported or opposed repeal) and that an earlier release of the file had switched the 2014 answers and the current release does not. The guide gives one pooled set of value labels and no year-specific labels for 2014, so the reversal rests on the partisan pattern and on that record, and the original 2014 labels have not been checked against the questionnaire. The build stops if any issue has a Democratic minus Republican gap at or below zero in any survey year, which tests the expected partisan direction and is not an independent check of the coding. Party: the three-point identification, so leaners are outside the Democrats and Republicans; independents are respondents at the middle of the seven-point scale, and leaners are shown apart. Place: the two-party margin of the respondent's county in the most recent presidential election, counting the election of the interview year, from the repaired county returns file; a deep county has a margin of 20 points or more toward one party. Outcomes: 12 yes-or-no policy questions, each oriented so that 100 is the side that Democrats take more often. Weights: weight_cumulative, which gives every survey year the same total weight. Estimator: weighted means in party by county-type cells; the party gap is the Democratic minus Republican difference averaged over deep-red and deep-blue counties, the place gap is the deep-blue minus deep-red difference averaged over Democrats and Republicans, and the ratio is the party gap divided by the place gap. Adjusted place gaps are coefficients on a deep-blue indicator in weighted linear regressions with education, race, age and gender, with and without state fixed effects, and standard errors clustered by state; the adjusted Republican minus Democratic difference is the coefficient on deep-blue by Republican in a regression with every term interacted with party. Intervals: unless stated otherwise, 95% percentile intervals from a bootstrap that resamples whole states (50 clusters, the states and the District of Columbia, 2,000 replicates, seed 12345), with gaps, ratios and medians computed inside each replicate. Respondents in one state share a political environment, so treating them as independent can give intervals that are too narrow; with few clusters even cluster-robust tests can over-reject (Cameron, Gelbach and Miller 2008), and the percentile bootstrap used here is simpler than the wild cluster bootstrap-t of that paper. The exceptions are the adjusted gaps (normal intervals from the clustered regressions), the ANES intervals (a bootstrap over the states in the ANES sample), the band on the state scatter (a bootstrap over the plotted states) and the state intervals in its data table (linearised standard errors). Resampling counties instead of states gives a narrower interval around the ratio of the average gaps, 7.6. These intervals are model based and ignore the design of the online panel. Suppression: a cell needs at least 100 respondents and an effective sample of 100; the smallest cell behind an issue holds 7,157 respondents and none fell below the floor. The state-level check uses the ANES cumulative file for 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 (strong and not very strong partisans, respondents with a known state, weight VCF0009z) and the same estimator with deep states, a two-party margin of 20 points or more from the state returns.

    What these data cannot show

    • The place gap is a difference between respondents who live in different counties.
    • It is not an estimate of what a county does to a person.
    • People choose where to live, and the respondents who live in deep-blue counties may differ from those in deep-red counties in ways that survey questions on education, race, age and gender do not capture.
    • Mummolo and Nall ask why partisans do not sort more by place and study the constraints on political segregation [2].
    • Earlier work on political context, from a 1984 survey in South Bend, Indiana, found that people build discussion networks that match their own views, that the political composition of their social context limits this, and that the interaction favors the local majority [3].
    • A cross-section cannot separate influence from selection, and evidence on people who move is the design that can.
    • Planned, Movers and opinion change (https://vishalsingh.org/politics/movers-and-opinion-change; planned) takes up that design.
    • The party gap is not an estimate of what a party does to an opinion either.
    • Party identification and issue positions shape each other, and party has taken on other identities, so a Democrat and a Republican also differ in race, religion and much else [4].
    • The two gaps are also measured on 12 questions that were available in the survey, on guns, immigration, abortion, marriage, health care and climate.
    • Their ratio would change with a different set of issues, and the ceiling of a share on a yes-or-no question limits how large a gap can be.
    • The policy questions end in 2021, so the chapter says nothing about later years.
    • The county is one level of place.
    • A finer level, such as a neighborhood, could show larger place gaps, and a coarser one, such as the state, shows the ANES and CES gaps above.
    • The chapter does not measure the variation in opinion among people who live in one place, which Planned, Variation in opinion within places (https://vishalsingh.org/politics/variation-in-opinion-within-places; planned) measures, or the share of partisans who live where their party loses, which Planned, Partisans in the other party's territory (https://vishalsingh.org/politics/partisans-outvoted-at-home; planned) measures.
    • Place-specific contexts such as recent immigration may matter more for some issues than the county margin does, as Planned, Immigration and local context (https://vishalsingh.org/politics/immigration-and-local-context; planned) examines, and the change in a county's vote over time has its own accounting in Planned, Composition and behavior in county change (https://vishalsingh.org/politics/composition-and-behavior-in-county-change; planned).
    • The intervals describe sampling variation in an opt-in online panel.
    • They treat the states as an independent sample of clusters and the survey weights as correct, and they do not cover error from who joins the panel or from question wording.
    • With few clusters, standard cluster-robust tests can over-reject [5], and the resampling method used here is simpler than the one that paper proposes.
    • The ratio is uncertain where the place gap is small.

    References

    1. Hopkins, Daniel J. (2018). The Increasingly United States: How and Why American Political Behavior Nationalized. University of Chicago Press. press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/I/bo27596045.html
    2. Mummolo, Jonathan; Nall, Clayton (2017). Why Partisans Do Not Sort: The Constraints on Political Segregation. The Journal of Politics 79(1): 45-59. doi:10.1086/687569
    3. Huckfeldt, Robert; Sprague, John (1987). Networks in Context: The Social Flow of Political Information. American Political Science Review 81(4): 1197-1216. www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/abs/networks-in-context-the-social-flow-of-political-information/393FFEC212ECE14C0E0F79715E086D60
    4. Mason, Lilliana (2018). Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity. University of Chicago Press. press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/U/bo27527354.html
    5. Cameron, A. Colin; Gelbach, Jonah B.; Miller, Douglas L. (2008). Bootstrap-Based Improvements for Inference with Clustered Errors. The Review of Economics and Statistics 90(3): 414-427. direct.mit.edu/rest/article/90/3/414/57731/Bootstrap-Based-Improvements-for-Inference-with

    Provenance

    Pipeline version
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    Build script
    book3/chapters/party-and-place/build.py (sha256 a4ecb5de36d0f1b0a07aa01f54170e898c2151cde9ed440d141ed61b040b4ef1)
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    FileSize (bytes)SHA-256, first 1 MBSHA-256, last 1 MB
    data/anes/anes_cdf_clean.parquet15,640,720b3f0c2d8ae5673b2c40cf6df71318ea3f712cd845c4f1aad0460f28d1b02264304f06dae56b65649291caf6cf77aab9767d9c92d0c2669c6d3655d9063970583
    data/cces/cces_clean.parquet53,454,8689430e88b3196c9ca2250bdda1908d3920e80e276ca0c529c514e2fc2bdd00806f61097c727c38fd8d7c8e53fe86935fb626f351a64d99ccb1ae0b56715b2c405
    data/county/pres_county_1868_2024.parquet6,295,675bec11c7a0cb5d4180bbd6809d048bc892dd00dfcdde527fa4da871b1dd3f835fb2a4f000f2eea72d09af8939555289e924875cca40cd95ec8869104cd575bed7
    data/state/1976-2024-president.csv514,1089936410a6dd4ecc8be7fe202c6dff5b5f8fee59d88f35ab542ed12879941dcb79936410a6dd4ecc8be7fe202c6dff5b5f8fee59d88f35ab542ed12879941dcb7

    Outputs

    FileSHA-256
    facts.jsonc7aadf423f1ef59d59aaf7ee50ced06ff442b18ceb481acd2f7367548887cd27
    figures/anes_check.jsond1d3a380c95ac57c81f5fdb9f0221b0af50b732b5e35808a4d501ea844a7b701
    figures/bg_checks_by_party_id.json5a9f7e468b5675d68baed350e0397487032c532d19e67f5902cae8684ae713be
    figures/definition_checks.json9530fe85714ea8d5fc97216fbaf33ef014afbfde852eb46f9f0398b0851b3586
    figures/gap_trend.json322b3363fcc157c5e250dd01e88290d133e31ddd4b8062e7eb384f0bdcba0240
    figures/gaps_by_issue.json100be0bddfa5d2c27e21156b7c6756cbf0049c929c6a46938f1b181c06efe0bb
    figures/party_gap_change.json595f8060da049d02f77da7962123e44a9b5b58f31eb2d19212d156f6e9714a9f
    figures/place_gap_by_party.json470941bae4a58e5b7c61da795ee1e879226794b77bd398365032a765e0e4a533
    figures/place_gap_by_party_id.jsonf176b560c6e4152c46320c96939f78c0c5ddda2991bfe2fea14b570d603dc05e
    figures/ratio_by_issue.jsonf61572ce27dc5999b38e517e9cd31a4956f0ff770070d5d07e0193aef244126d
    figures/state_party_gap.jsonff7f11f0608494aa0c414863bf5d974a1a7acaa404a28a75d89e0112f8434fc9
    figures/support_by_margin.json3ca5171f8dec09701f82d38b2b2a648ded7aacb286b854449379b311ea67cc47
    meta.json91c1795aaea5d404de24adc324bda6e9b3b4d2d95e36721b0f1c6802f09f2604
    refs.json06999dc144727ceab5ccfeefad2049838287acb9d56edda65dace53fcc5b1002

    Machine formats