Chicago Council data show that some key foreign policy issues have the potential to disrupt Democratic Party unity.
Progressive and moderate Democrats have struggled to find agreement on a range of issues during the Biden administration. Fiscal policy, voting rights, and immigration have all been contentious, but the divisions have been most glaring in the negotiations over the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed in November and the larger Build Back Better “social infrastructure” bill.
With these domestic policy divisions in the limelight, foreign policy differences among Democrats have been less visible. Public opinion among supporters of the moderate and liberal wings of the party suggests that divisions are sharpest on issues around American exceptionalism, climate change, defense spending, and immigration. While the growing polarization between Democrats and Republicans has received ample attention in the media and in policy discussions, these data also show that some key policy issues have the potential to disrupt intraparty Democratic unity, including when to militarily intervene on behalf of allied nations.
Key Findings
- In the 2021 Chicago Council Survey, 60 percent of self-identified Democrats say they are at least slightly liberal versus 40 percent total who say they are either moderate (33%) or conservative (7%). Over the past 17 years, an increasing proportion of Democrats identify as liberals.
- There are sharp differences on the idea of American exceptionalism. A majority of moderate Democrats (66%) believe the United States has a unique character that makes it the greatest country in the world. Liberal Democrats are more apt to believe the United States is no greater than other countries (58%).
- A majority of moderates believe maintaining US military superiority is a very important goal (55%) compared to just a third of liberals (31%).
- While moderate Democrats are also more likely to favor defense spending increases, liberal Democrats are more likely to favor using US troops to help defend allies and partners under threat.
- This might be related to the finding that liberal Democrats (65%) are more likely than moderate Democrats (39%) to think that promoting and defending human rights in other countries is a very important foreign policy goal.
- Concern about climate change has been growing among both sets of Democrats, but it is more of a burning concern for liberals (88% a very important foreign policy goal) than for moderates (64%).
- Across the board, few Democrats think limiting immigration should be a top priority. But liberals (65%) are more likely than moderates (36%) to support an unconditional pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
