How Americans’ Values Have Changed Amid Incendiary Politics

We have changed as a people.

It’s a vulnerable time in our country’s democracy and it certainly has been an emotional year for Americans. To a degree, we can all say we’re different people than we were a year ago, when the acronym COVID became a term for a new way of life. Values and priorities began to shift, goals and dreams were questioned, and we discovered parts of ourselves we may never have.

For some U.S. senators, the tragic events that unfolded at the Capitol last week were enough to break long-standing political loyalties. Last week, several senators walked away from the President on the same floor they spent years defending him on, ultimately voting to certify the results of the pandemic election, a departure from their previously stated intentions. For a Vice President seemingly in a crisis of conscience, Pence found his answer in the constitution, when he refused Trump’s call to block the nomination. Just a week from today, President-Elect Biden will swear to uphold that same document.

Changing political tides in the Senate are a prime example of how quickly an event can change hearts and minds, whether for a senator or the millions of constituents they represent. For advocacy organizations, brands, and political campaigns, it’s more important than ever to track and understand these changes, before it’s too late.

The role of AI in times of human conjecture

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a remarkably helpful tool to organizations navigating shifts in values, intention, and political sentiment over a period a time, or immediately following consequential events. No matter how unforeseen or shocking we humans perceive the events of any given day, data will remain honest, unbiased, and on time.

AI-driven consumer intelligence holds the power to see people with clear eyes in situations of grave human uncertainty, providing a window into why people change or, oftentimes more importantly, when they will make that change. Ask yourself: how well do you know your audience today? Are you still holding onto the same understanding you had 6 months ago, before the election, one week ago?

At Resonate, we run the country’s largest continuous consumer and voter survey that yields more than 13,000 granular insights, from why people choose a certain brand, candidate, or cause to the personal values and behaviors that drive their every day. We then run machine learning algorithms to combine survey responses with tens of billions of daily web events, scale the 13,000+ insights to 200 million+ consumer profiles, and update them nightly. The result is a fresh, deep, and actionable data set, one traditional market research just can’t match. We combine core demographics and psychographics with niche political, policy, and consumer insights driving that person’s votes, purchases, loyalties, endorsements, and more.

Let’s look at a couple of unique audiences and what’s driving them right now, accounting for recent events that have unfolded in the days and weeks past.

Trump Voters currently identifying with the Democratic Party

This is a national audience of 10.9M registered voters who likely voted for Trump, but currently identify with the Democratic Party. Our models show that women make up the majority of this audience and right now, they most value accepting those who are different, and they’re driven by a sense of optimism and living a life of novelties.

Coming off the heels of 2020, the data show this audience is ready for change and brighter, more fulfilling days ahead.

Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™

When compared to the average voter, we see this particular audience is 67% more likely to now be dissatisfied with Trump’s policies and 57% more likely to believe that Trump is a threat to the U.S. These insights demonstrate that while these voters likely supported Trump back in November, a lot has changed in the last two months.

Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™

Biden voters who supported Trump in 2016

This is a national audience of 11.6M voters who supported Trump in 2016, but likely voted for Biden in 2020. Our models show that men compose the majority of this group by a slight margin and currently, they’re most motivated by law and order, safety, and maintaining traditions.

Faith and religion are a core part of this group’s lives and they’re driven by trust and respect from others. This is an audience that seeks to return to a civil, secure, and more predictable America.

Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™

As we head into the new administration, these voters are prioritizing issues of homeland security, immigration, government spending, and crime and law enforcement.

Source: the Resonate Ignite Platform™

Want a deeper understanding of the people you need to reach?

Contact Resonate today and let us know who your target audience is. We’ll provide an in-depth and real-time breakdown – down to the behaviors, motivations, values, and anxieties driving their decisions – uncovering critical insights on the most pressing issues affecting your business, campaign, or cause. Learn why political and advocacy organizations choose Resonate.

Want to see the platform in action? Request a demo or give us a call at 855.855.4320.