Voter Sentiments Ahead of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it seems a few more voters are feeling grateful this year, though most say their gratitude remains the same as last year’s. Interestingly, despite partisan divisions, many individuals are open to spending time with family and friends who hold differing political views.
A recent poll shows that only about 20% of people actively avoid those with opposing political opinions. On the flip side, a robust 75% feel comfortable mingling with those on the other side, which is consistent with findings from 2022.
While there’s a general consensus on mixing with family members who have different beliefs, Republicans (86%) are notably more likely to say they wouldn’t avoid anyone compared to Independents (71%) and Democrats (68%).
Thanksgiving Reflections
Hispanic voters (31%), Democrats (30%), and individuals under 35 (30%) are some of the groups most inclined to avoid politically charged dinner conversations.
The survey shows that 33% of voters feel they have more to be thankful for this year, while 25% express having less. The largest segment, at 42%, reports feeling equally grateful as in 2025.
Among those who feel more grateful, there’s a noticeable trend: 46% of white evangelical Christians, 45% of voters under 30, 45% of Republicans, 44% who voted for Trump in 2024, and 43% of Hispanic voters share this sentiment.
On a broader scale, most respondents noted increased spending across categories like groceries and housing. Unsurprisingly, this leads to a stark contrast, with four times more individuals planning to reduce seasonal gift spending (44%) compared to those expecting to increase it (11%). Meanwhile, another 44% intend to keep their spending levels steady.
Democrats (54%), liberals (57%), and women under 45 (53%) are particularly likely to cut back on holiday spending.
In terms of how people perceive others’ gifting habits this season, expectations are pretty stable: 47% think their friends and neighbors will spend less, 16% anticipate they’ll increase their own gift expenses, and 35% expect no changes at all.
The survey, conducted from November 14 to 17, 2025, involved interviews with a diverse sample of 1,005 registered voters, selected at random from national voter files. The results come with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points, and there might be larger variations within subgroups. Factors like question wording and sequencing can also impact the results, though adjustments are typically made to ensure representation across various demographic factors.
