Story perspectives

Racial Ideological Gaps Shrink, Education Gaps Expand, Study Shows

7/10/2026

Summary

Story summary

Using Election Study surveys of >250,000 respondents, researchers found racial gaps fell and education gaps widened between 2008 and 2024.
By 2024 Black and Hispanic voters shifted toward conservatism, while high-school respondents grew conservative and college-educated respondents grew liberal.
Gallup’s 2025 poll showed 35% conservative, 33% moderate, and 28% liberal.
Stephen Jessee authored the PNAS Nexus study “Americans’ ideological differences have decreased by race, increased by education.”

1 of 1

Story summary

Using Election Study surveys of >250,000 respondents, researchers found racial gaps fell and education gaps widened between 2008 and 2024.
By 2024 Black and Hispanic voters shifted toward conservatism, while high-school respondents grew conservative and college-educated respondents grew liberal.
Gallup’s 2025 poll showed 35% conservative, 33% moderate, and 28% liberal.
Stephen Jessee authored the PNAS Nexus study “Americans’ ideological differences have decreased by race, increased by education.”