After a five-year hiatus, Pew Research has just come out with a new typology that sorts the American public into nine groups based on their political values and beliefs. This is their ninth political typology study since the first one in 1987. Previous versions of the political typology were conducted in 1994, 1999, 2004 (published in 2005), 2011, 2014, 2017 and 2021.
Pew’s 2026 typology is based on a survey of 10,357 U.S. adults conducted in November 2025. Survey respondents were sampled from the American Trends Panel, Pew’s nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults who have agreed to participate in ongoing surveys. The 2026 report draws additional data from 15 separate surveys conducted over the course of 2025 and 2026, as well as records from prior Pew Research election surveys and commercial voter files previously matched to members of the panel.
Without further ado, here is a minimalist description of the nine types:
Mostly Republican:
No Apologies Right: Unwavering Trump supporters with a pugilistic political style and an ‘America first’ outlook
9% of U.S. adults and 19% of the Republican Party
99% are Republican or Republican-leaning
Faith First Conservatives: Staunch conservatives and strong Trump supporters who stand out for their faith-oriented politics
12% U.S. adults and 25% of the Republican Party
95% are Republican/Republican-leaning
Unconventional Right : Conservative on immigration and culture, but they break from those to their right on some other key issues
12% of U.S. adults and 19% of the Republican Party
76% are Republican/Republican-leaning, 19% are Democrats/Democratic leaning, and 5% do not lean either way
Pragmatic and Polite Right : Moderate in tone and on many issues, with a small-government streak
11% of U.S. adults and 14% of the Republican Party
56% are Republicans/Republican leaning, 37% are Democrats or Democratic leaning and 10% do not lean either way
Mostly Democrat
Order and Opportunity Left: Economically liberal positions with moderate stances on immigration and concerns about safety and crime
18% U.S. adults and 24% of the Democratic Party
65% are Democrats/Democratic leaners, 26% are Republicans/Republican leaners and 10% do not lean either way
Left-Out Left : Democratic-leaning, with a mix of liberal and moderate views and limited confidence in the parties and the political system
12% U.S. adults and 18% of the Democratic Party
74% are Democrats/Democratic leaners, 15% are Republicans/Republican leaners and 11% do not lean either way
Loyal Liberals: Liberal across most issues, they are invested in the Democratic Party and in domestic and international institutions
11% of U.S. adults and 21% of the Democratic Party
97% are Democrats or Democratic leaners
Leftward Progressive: Liberal across the board, they are among the strongest critics of the U.S. economic system and the Trump administration
7% of U.S. adults and 14% of the Democratic Party
96% are Democrats or Democratic leaners
Neither One nor the Other
Tuned-Out Middle: Largely disconnected from politics, they tilt liberal on economic concerns but not on social issues
9% of U.S. adults, 8% of the Republican Party, and 9% of the Democratic Party.
42% are Republicans/Republican leaners , 46% are Democrats/Democratic leaners , and 11% do not lean either way
This was just a teeny appetizer. For the main course, go to Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology / Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. June 10, 2026. And don’t forget Appendix A, Appendix B, and Appendix C.