Poll Highlights Differences in Party Favorability of Key Industries  

A YouGov poll unveils partisan disparities in industry favorability. 

WHY IT MATTERS – The large gaps in favorability in some industries are another indicator of how differently Republicans and Democrats view the world.   

THE NUMBERS – A YouGov poll from Nov. 7 – Nov. 9, 2022, surveyed Americans opinions about 39 industries. The largest differences in favorability were:  

  • Higher Education has a 45-point favorability gap, with Democrats giving the industry a rating of 45% net favorability, compared to equal favorable and unfavorable ratings among Republicans. 
  • Entertainment has a 51-point favorability gap, with Democrats giving the industry a rating of 34% net favorability, compared to -17% net favorability among Republicans. 
  • News Media has a 74-point favorability gap, with Democrats giving the industry a rating of 17% net favorability, compared to -57% net favorability among Republicans.  

Not all industries showed a significant partisan favorability gap. For instance:

  • Finance was viewed neutrally by members of both parties.   
  • Insurance was seen net negatively by Democrats (-12% net favorability) and Republicans (-14% net favorability). 

THE BOTTOM LINE – Partisan favorability across education, entertainment, and news media reveals stark divide among Democrats and Republicans.

GO DEEPERHow Do Democrats and Republicans Feel About Certain U.S. Industries?