Poll: Voters in Highest Income Category More Likely to View Republicans as America’s ‘Biggest Enemy’

One in five likely voters consider Democrats, specifically, America’s “biggest enemy,” while voters in the highest income category are more likely to view Republicans as America’s greatest enemy, a Rasmussen Reports survey released this week found.

The survey asked respondents, “Who is America’s biggest enemy as 2022 draws to a close – Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Republicans, or Democrats?”

Overall, one-quarter identified China as America’s biggest enemy, but Democrats came in second place, as 22 percent of likely voters identified that political party as America’s biggest enemy. 

Russia came in third place with 20 percent, followed by Republicans, as 17 percent identified them as America’s biggest enemy. 

Another five percent said North Korea, followed by two percent who said Iran. Nine percent remain unsure. 

Opinions vary along partly lines. A plurality of Democrats, 31 percent, for instance, believe Russia is America’s biggest enemy, followed closely by Republicans (26 percent). China drops to third place, garnering 16 percent.

Meanwhile, over one-third of Republicans, 35 percent, identify China as the biggest enemy to the country. Democrats also closely followed with 33 percent. 

Similarly, a quarter of independents, 26 percent, identified China as the greatest enemy to the U.S., followed by 21 percent who said Democrats and 18 percent who said Republicans. 

Perhaps what is more is the fact that higher income Americans — those making $200,000 or more per year — are more likely to view Republicans as America’s biggest enemy. Twenty-nine percent in that category view Republicans as the biggest enemy, compared to 21 percent who said the same of Democrats. 

More from Rasmussen Reports:

Among women voters, 26% regard China as America’s biggest enemy, followed by Russia and Republicans (both 20%), with 18% naming Democrats as the biggest enemy. Twenty-seven percent (27%) of men identify Democrats as America’s biggest enemy, followed by China (24%), Russia (19%) and Republicans (15%).

Voters under 40 are most likely to view Russia (28%) as the biggest enemy, while older voters are more likely to see China as America’s biggest enemy. While under-40 voters are equally likely to see Republicans or Democrats as the biggest enemy, for older voters, the bigger enemy is Democrats by a seven-point margin.

Whites (28%) are more likely than black voters (15%) or other minorities (23%) to see China as America’s biggest enemy. Black voters are significantly more likely than others to view Republicans as the biggest enemy.

The survey was taken December 19-21, 2022, among 900 likely voters and has a +/- 3 percent margin of error. It comes one week before the new session of a divided Congress, as Republicans will have the majority in the House and Democrats will maintain the majority in the Senate. 

A December NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll found that most have no confidence that Democrat and Republicans will be able to work together.