Large majority says they are concerned about political violence: poll

Almost 90 percent of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll say they are concerned about an increased risk of political violence.

The numbers released Friday, collected over the phone from Sunday through Wednesday, after the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), show that more than 60 percent are “very concerned” that political violence is on the rise.

Democrats are most worried about a potential increase in politically motivated violence, 95 percent of respondents who identify with the party saying they are somewhat or very concerned.

But 87 percent of Republican respondents and eighty-six percent of independents are also at least somewhat concerned.

Majorities of every political persuasion are “very concerned” about the phenomenon, including 75 percent of Democrats, 61 percent of independents and 56 percent of Republicans.

Most Democrats and Republicans say that the opposite party is to blame for political violence, with 31 percent of those polled claiming that Republicans are responsible and 25 percent saying Democrats are responsible.

An additional 32 percent of the 1,005 poll respondents said that both parties are equally responsible for violence.

Among independents, 39 percent blame both parties, 24 percent primarily blame Republicans and 20 percent primarily blame Democrats.

The margin of error of the Post-ABC News survey is 4 percentage points.

The White House has said American have a responsibility to call out political violence in the wake of the Pelosi attack, which left the 82 year old hospitalized for days.

“The attack was simply unconscionable, and we all have a responsibility to call out this kind of political violence,” Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.