Most in new poll say fundamental rights, freedoms are threatened

A majority of Republicans and Democrats in a new poll shared the view that their fundamental rights and freedoms were under threat, but they diverged in which issues they saw as most at risk.

In a new Monmouth University poll released Tuesday, 55 percent of respondents said they were very concerned that their rights and freedoms were threatened – with 63 percent of Republicans, 53 percent of Democrats, and 51 percent of Independents holding that view. 

Twenty-nine percent of respondents said they were somewhat concerned that their fundamental rights and freedoms were under threat, 11 percent said they were not too concerned and five percent said they were not at all concerned.

The specific rights that respondents say they feel are under threat differ by party allegiance.

Thirty-eight percent of Republicans said First Amendment rights — or free speech rights — are under threat, and 38 percent also said Second Amendment rights — or gun rights — are under threat.  Republican respondents also cited issues such as religious freedom and government overreach. 

Democrats cited women’s rights — including restrictions to abortion access — as a top concern, among 36 percent of respondents. Fourteen percent of Democratic respondents also cited free speech and 12 percent cited voting access and election rights as top concerns. Democrats also mentioned gun violence and LGBTQ+ rights as top concerns. 

Monmouth University Polling Institute Director Patrick Murray noted a key difference in responses from Democrats and Republicans. He said Democrats are more likely to cite specific restrictions while Republicans are more likely to cite an amendment number or a general right they feel is under threat. 

“One of the interesting things in the survey responses is that Republicans are more likely to use the phrases ‘freedom of speech’ or ‘right to bear arms’ or simply give amendment numbers when describing threats to their fundamental rights,” Murray said. “Democrats’ First Amendment worries are more likely to reference specific restrictions such as book banning.”

“Also, Democrats’ top concerns focus on the Constitution’s implied privacy rights such as a woman’s ‘reproductive autonomy’ or societal norms such as keeping their children safe from gun violence,'” he added.

Murray also expressed concern about the GOP’s worry of government overreach. 

“It is also worth noting that a small but measurable number of Republicans are concerned about Fourth Amendment infringements,” he said. “It certainly isn’t good for democracy if there really is widespread abuse of government search and seizure powers. It can be just as destabilizing, though, if people believe this is happening even when it is not. This is how we get events like January 6.”

The poll was conducted from May 18-13 among a national random sample of 981 adults. The survey was conducted via landline interview, cell phone interview and some online surveys which were sent via text. 

The margin of error of was plus or minus 5.6 percentage points.