Order and Opportunity Left

Two new reports from the Pew Research Center detail distinct groups within the American electorate: the Order and Opportunity Left, the largest political typology group at 18% of the public, and the Left-Out Left, a younger, working-class cohort with low confidence in the political system.

The Order and Opportunity Left generally support a larger federal government with more services and are critical of some aspects of the economic system, according to the report ^[1]. They tilt Democratic in their political preferences, with 65% identifying as Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents ^[1]. Those who voted in 2024 backed Kamala Harris over Donald Trump by about three-to-one ^[1]. Despite this partisan lean, the group is more supportive of law enforcement powers than groups to their left and favors restrictive border policies ^[1]. Six-in-ten support a military presence at the U.S.-Mexico border ^[1].

The group is racially and ethnically diverse: 41% are White, 26% are Hispanic, 21% are Black and 8% are Asian ^[1]. They are also more likely to affiliate with a religion and to regularly attend religious services than other majority-Democratic groups, with 71% saying religion is at least somewhat important in their lives ^[1]. Politically, fewer than half, 46%, voted in the 2024 presidential election, and just 18% say they are very or extremely interested in politics ^[1].

The separate report on the Left-Out Left describes a Democratic-oriented group with liberal views on government's role in social welfare but lukewarm evaluations of the party itself ^[2]. Only 36% identify as Democrats ^[2]. The group is markedly young, with 74% under age 50, and 65% describe themselves as working class ^[2]. Their disaffection is pronounced: 78% lack confidence in the future of the country's political system, and just 42% voted in the 2024 presidential election ^[2].

On social issues, the Order and Opportunity Left hold moderate positions. While 71% view gender as being determined by sex at birth, 62% also say transgender people face a lot of discrimination ^[1]. The group overwhelmingly backs requiring photo identification to vote, at 84%, but also favors automatic voter registration and mail-in voting options by wide margins ^[1]. About three-quarters, 74%, describe themselves as "respectful of authority," a far higher share than in other majority-Democratic groups ^[1].