Half as many Republicans were confident in the scientific community compared to pre-pandemic levels. And bolstered support from Democrats during the pandemic eroded to pre-pandemic levels, based on an analysis of GSS data. Confidence in other institutions like education, business, journalism, and religion also slipped.
Two in five adults would consider purchasing an electric vehicle, and most cite financial considerations as both key reasons and key barriers for doing so.
There is growing polarization in confidence in science, with Democrats (64%) more confident than Republicans (34%). This 30-point gap is up from 9 points in 2018.
