Originally at https://www.pressrepublican.com
PLATTSBURGH — The general public is becoming more aware of Project 2025 as the presidential campaign moves on, and reactions are mixed with Republicans more in favor and Democrats opposed as expected.
Longtime SUNY Plattsburgh Political Science Professor Dr. Harvey Schantz offered an analysis of what the nation thinks of Project 2025 so far.
Public Views of Project 2025
A majority of the American public is aware of Project 2025 and on balance view it unfavorably, Schantz said.
Specifically, a July 11 YouGov Poll found that 20% of the American public had “heard a lot,” 39% “a little,” and 42% “Nothing at all,” about Project 2025 and that 39% of the public had an unfavorable opinion of the Project and only 13% were favorable, while 48% did not have an opinion.
Democratic Awareness
Democrats and Republicans, however, differed markedly in their awareness and support of this conservative blueprint for government. Fully 71% of Democrats, according to the Yougov Poll, have heard about Project 2025, with 35% of Democrats hearing a lot and 36% hearing a little.
Meanwhile, 55% of Republicans had heard of Project 2025, but only 7% have heard a lot, while 48% heard a little.
The greater awareness among Democrats, no doubt, reflects the fact that in their public statements Republican candidate Donald Trump has avoided mention of Project 2025, while Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have sought to link Trump with this Project as often as possible.
Up to now Democrats, much to the consternation of the Trump campaign, have successfully portrayed Project 2025 as a foreboding set of policy proposals to be avoided at all costs and this is reflected in public assessments of the program.
Among Democrats there were 64% unfavorable and only 8% favorable assessments of the Project, while among Republicans there were 26% favorable views and only 12% unfavorable, but 62% of Republicans expressed no opinion.
Unpopular Policies
Moreover, Schantz said, some specific controversial policy proposals of the project have not been well received by the general public.
The YouGov Poll of July 11, explored views toward nine controversial policy proposals attributed to Project 2025 and found that six of the nine were not favored by the overall public, with majorities opposed to five of them: “Eliminating the U.S. Department of Education,” 63% opposed; “Removing legal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” 59% opposed; “Reducing federal spending on renewable energy research,” 53% opposed; “Withdrawing federal approval for the abortion pill mifepristone,” 52% opposed; and “Banning transgender people from serving in the military,” 50% opposed, with 15% not sure.
The country was split on “Outlawing Pornography,” with 42% support and 42% opposition, Schantz said.
Two proposals received more support than opposition: “Using active-duty members of the military to help with arrests along the U.S.-Mexico border,” 49% support and 37% opposed; and “Returning to a gold-backed currency,” 38% support and 26% opposed.
Partisan Differences
The Heritage Foundation that sponsors Project 2025 is a conservative think tank that supports Republican Trump for president so as expected, Republicans were more receptive to the specific proposals than Democrats.
While Democrats disapproved of every proposal, Republicans favored seven of the nine proposals, all but the ones on withdrawal of federal approval of mifepristone and removal of legal protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
On each proposal, Republicans offered a higher level of support than Democrats, with Republicans averaging 58.9 percent and Democrats only 16.4% support for the nine issue items, indicating substantial partisan differences on the controversial items of Project 2025.
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