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By Shane Croucher and Amanda Castro
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A majority of Republicans now believe that the United States is heading in the wrong direction after a surge in negative sentiment in the aftermath of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to a new poll.
Fifty-one percent of Republicans said the country is on the wrong track when surveyed by AP-NORC in September, right after Kirk's death, up from 29 percent in June.
Why it Matters
Kirk's fatal shooting on September 10 at Utah Valley University triggered a surge in pessimism among Republican voters regarding the direction of the United States, according to the new Associated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.
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His death has ignited conservative anger about political violence coming from the left, and a broader conversation about the health of American civil society, including the line at which free speech crosses into incitement to violence.
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What To Know
The latest poll reflects the deep anger about Kirk's death among Republicans as they demand tougher action against far-left groups and violent rhetoric. President Donald Trump has said that he will designate Antifa a terrorist organization, and Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to crack down on "hate speech."
However, civil liberties groups are sounding the alarm about the First Amendment, saying there is now an aggressive overpolicing of speech, as evidenced by the backlash against comedian Jimmy Kimmel for his recent remarks, which triggered the suspension of his ABC talk show.
A majority of Republicans—51 percent, up from 29 percent in June—now say the country is on the wrong track, according to a poll conducted between September 11 and 15, 2025, immediately following Kirk's assassination.
The sentiment shift is most pronounced among Republicans under 45, with 61 percent describing the nation as headed in the wrong direction, compared to 43 percent among older Republicans. Republican women (60 percent) express more pessimism than men (43 percent). Overall, 75 percent of American adults—the highest level in recent years—believe the nation is moving off course.
The poll of 1,183 adults, conducted online and by telephone, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
The polling trend follows not only Kirk's killing but a series of high-profile, violent political incidents, including attacks on officials and an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump. Many Republicans cited these events as central to their political frustrations, alongside ongoing worries about crime, jobs, and the cost of living.
The AP-NORC survey also highlighted ongoing dissatisfaction with national leaders across the political spectrum, with relatively low approval ratings for Trump's performance, except in areas such as border security and crime management.
What People Are Saying
*The AP-*NORC poll on the pessimism about the direction of the country growing among Republicans: "**Since June, the share of adults who say the country is on the wrong track increased 13 percentage points from 62% to 75%. The shift occurred primarily among Republicans. In June, 29% of Republicans said the country was heading in the wrong direction. That number is now 51%. The vast majority of Democrats have felt the country is headed in the wrong direction since Donald Trump won the election in 2024."
Chris Bahr, a 42-year-old Houston Republican, told the Associated Press: "I've spent a lot of time worrying about the worsening political discourse and, now, the disturbing assassinations."
Mustafa Robinson, a Philadelphia truck driver, told the Associated Press: "It's like, you think you're heading in the right direction with your career and your job, but everything around you is going up in price. It seems like you can't catch a break. But we are also supposed to be united as a country and coming together. And we are not. I'm so perplexed how we're not on the same page about anything, so bad that these people are being shot."
What Happens Next
The rapid decline in Republican confidence in the nation's trajectory is anticipated to shape forthcoming political debates and strategies on the right. Divisions within the Republican Party between those favoring hard-line policies and leaders seeking a return to civility and unity are likely to become more pronounced.
At the same time, concerns around protecting First Amendment rights will continue to be a heated part of the national dialogue, as civil liberties organizations respond to the administration's policy shifts.
Update 9/19/25, 9:25 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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