Pew study shows Biden and Trump supporters deeply divided on life and family issues

A new study examining some of the most contentious issues being considered by the electorate ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump has found that voters remain highly divided on hot-button issues such as abortion, gender, the role of the family in society, and immigration.

Here are the topics covered in the June 6 Pew study, which polled some 8,000 registered voters, including top lines of what the researchers found as well as Catholic angles as they relate to several of the applicable topics.

Family​

A relatively large minority of voters overall, 39%, think society is better off if people make marriage and having children a priority, while 59% say society is just as well off if people have other priorities.

Trump supporters were roughly three times as likely as Biden supporters to say society is better if people prioritize marriage and family. Nearly half of Trump supporters overall — 56% of men and 37% of women — say it is bad for society that people are having fewer children.

Abortion​

Continued below.

Areas of agreement​

Despite shining a light on myriad differences in opinion between Trump and Biden voters, the poll also found that both cohorts mostly support the discussion of “America’s historical successes, as well as its flaws.”

To that end, nearly identical shares of Biden (74%) and Trump supporters (71%) say it is extremely or very important to “have public discussions about the country’s historical successes and strengths,” while 78% of Biden supporters and 60% of Trump supporters say it is at least very important to “have public discussions about the country’s failures and flaws.”

In addition, voters, regardless of party affiliation, are very positive about more open discussions of mental health. More than 8 in 10 voters overall (87%) say that more people openly discussing mental health and well-being is good for society. This includes large majorities of both Biden (94%) and Trump supporters (79%).