Nearly one-third of Americans now believe political violence may be necessary to restore the country, marking a dangerous 74% surge in support that threatens the very foundation of our constitutional republic.
Story Highlights
- Support for political violence jumped from 19% to nearly 33% in just 18 months.
- Recent assassinations of political figures from both parties fuel escalating tensions.
- Experts warn that this alarming trend signals the potential collapse of democratic norms.
- Rising acceptance of violence correlates with actual deadly attacks on officials.
Shocking Poll Numbers Reveal Democracy Under Siege
The PBS News/NPR/Marist poll delivers devastating evidence of America’s democratic decline. Survey data shows support for political violence has skyrocketed from 19% to nearly one-third of adults in merely 18 months.
This represents a staggering 74% increase in citizens who believe violence is justified to “get the country back on track.” The timing coincides ominously with actual murders of political figures, suggesting public sentiment may be fueling real-world bloodshed that undermines our constitutional system.
Deadly Violence Follows Shifting Public Sentiment
The poll’s release follows a series of shocking political assassinations that would have been unthinkable in stable America. June 2025 witnessed the brutal killing of a Democrat state legislator and her husband in Minnesota.
Three months later, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in Utah, demonstrating that violence now targets Americans across the political spectrum.
These murders represent the deadly manifestation of the poll’s findings, proving that growing acceptance of political violence translates into actual bloodshed.
Constitutional Republic Faces Existential Threat
This trend directly attacks the foundational principles that separate America from failed nations worldwide. Our Constitution established peaceful transitions of power and civil discourse as cornerstones of self-governance.
When citizens embrace violence as legitimate political action, they abandon the very mechanisms that preserve individual liberty and limited government.
The Marquette Law School survey confirms widespread recognition that political violence poses a major problem, yet partisan divisions prevent unified solutions to protect our institutions.
Experts warn that rising public endorsement creates a feedback loop where violence begets more violence. Social media amplifies divisive narratives while institutional distrust erodes faith in peaceful resolution.
This combination threatens to normalize political assassination and intimidation as acceptable tools, fundamentally transforming America into something our founders would not recognize. The stakes could not be higher for preserving constitutional governance.
Urgent Action Required to Preserve American Values
Conservative Americans must recognize that political violence threatens core values regardless of which side initiates it.
The Constitution’s protections for free speech, gun rights, and individual liberty depend entirely on maintaining civil society where disagreements are resolved through debate and elections, not bullets.
When violence becomes normalized, it inevitably leads to government overreach and authoritarian responses that erode the very freedoms patriots seek to protect. Defending constitutional principles requires rejecting violence while addressing legitimate grievances through proper channels.
Sources:
New Marquette Law Poll Finds Large Majority Think Political Violence is Big Problem
The 1st Amendment in the U.S. October 2025
