The assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has intensified fears of political violence across the United States, with a new poll showing sharp partisan differences in how Americans perceive threats from the left and right.

According to reporting by The Washington Stand, the survey — conducted by The Economist/YouGov — asked respondents about concern over left-wing and right-wing extremism. Sixty-one percent of all participants expressed some level of concern about left-wing extremism (90% of Republicans, 56% of Independents, 38% of Democrats). Concerns about right-wing extremism were higher overall at 69% (with 88% of Democrats, 57% of Independents, and 34% of Republicans expressing worry).

“The targeted killing has ignited widespread concern about escalating violence, with many fearing they could be next,” The Washington Stand reported.

The poll also asked which side respondents believed was responsible for most political violence in the U.S.: 33% said the Left, 29% said the Right, and 24% said both equally. A majority — 64% — said the country is on the wrong track, while 28% said it is heading in the right direction. Sixty-seven percent agreed the country has become more politically divided in the last five years.

Voices and analysis

Joseph Backholm of the Family Research Council told The Washington Stand that secularism and misplaced political hope can fuel despair and hatred, creating conditions where violence becomes more likely. Backholm urged Christians to respond with faith and moral clarity, while acknowledging the risks that come with being a vocal advocate of their beliefs.

Recent high-profile violent incidents — including the killing of Charlie Kirk, the stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a North Carolina light rail, shootings at a Colorado high school, and an attack on Catholic school children — have intensified public anxiety about political and ideological violence.

Read the full Washington Stand coverage here: Poll Finds Rising Fears of Political Violence.

View the original Economist/YouGov tabulation and methodology: Economist/YouGov Poll Report (PDF).

Read the Washington Stand story