Are Americans hopeful -- or discouraged -- heading into new year? What a new poll found

Brendan Rascius, The Charlotte Observer on Dec 24, 2024

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Americans are more optimistic about 2025 than they were about 2024 — in large part because of President-elect Donald Trump, according to new polling.

In a December CBS News/YouGov poll, 57% of respondents said that, when looking ahead to 2025, they feel more hopeful than discouraged. Meanwhile, 23% said they feel more discouraged, and 20% said they feel both equally.

In contrast, a poll taken during December 2023 found that 47% of respondents were hopeful about 2024 — marking a 10-point difference. An additional 22% said they were discouraged, and 31% said they felt both equally.

The latest poll — fielded between Dec. 18-20 with a sample of 2,244 adults — asked the hopeful respondents what makes them feel mostly optimistic about the new year. It provided them with seven options.

Sixty percent said “Trump becoming president” made them feel mostly hopeful, making it the most popular choice.

Following that, 55% said family and personal relationships, 51% said personal finances and opportunities, and 51% said the U.S. economy, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points.

Slightly less than half, 47%, said personal health, 34% said American politics generally and 33% said “the state of the world.”

The poll, using the same seven choices, then asked the discouraged respondents what makes them feel mostly pessimistic about 2025.

The vast majority, 85%, said Trump becoming president made them mostly disheartened, again making it the most popular choice.

Meanwhile, 74% said American politics generally, 71% said the state of the world and 58% said the American economy.

Less than half, 46%, said personal finances and opportunities, while 28% said personal health, and 17% said family and personal relationships.

The responses were largely skewed based on partisan affiliation, with 85% of Republicans saying they feel hopeful and 38% of Democrats saying the same.

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