The independent and non-partisan Quinnipiac University Poll (QUP) has been conducting polls on politics and issues since 1994. Their surveys are based on random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones. Between March 4th - 6th of this year, QUP surveyed 1,374 U.S. adults related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here’s a subset of survey questions and responses:

Things to Notice and Ponder:

In the event of a Russian invasion, Democrats were much more likely than Republicans to flee "the country”; ditto Men vs. Women and Blacks vs. Whites/Hispanics. Respondents of prime fighting age (18-34) were less likely to stay and fight than older respondents.

Why would so many Democrats, women, young adults, and Blacks be unwilling to stay and fight the Russians in case of an invasion?  Here are a few possibilities: the U.S. doesn’t deserve to be saved; one doesn’t truly belong to this country (feeling like an outsider); personal or family safety more important; anti-war or anti-nationalist sentiments; feeling no special affinity for America or enthusiasm for the American project; lack of fellow-feeling or common purpose with other Americans; nihilism or relativism to the point that no country or system of government is worth dying for.

It doesn’t appear that Democrats’ unwillingness to stay and fight Russia had much to do with feeling Putin isn’t all that bad. More Democrats than Republicans compared Putin to Hitler and more thought he would be willing to use nuclear weapons. More Democrats than Republicans would support a U.S. military response if Putin attacked a NATO country. And more Democrats would support a ban on Russian oil (possibly because it might hasten the transition to renewables, a cause more Dems support than Republicans).

Democrats are not a monolithic group, however. College graduates, Whites, and adults in their prime working years were more likely to support a Russian oil ban than non-college graduates, younger adults, and Blacks, possibly because these less affluent groups would be hurt more by a ban on Russian oil.

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Note: Some questions were shortened for the table. Not all answer options and responses were included in the table (mostly negative responses and Don’t Know). The complete poll and poll results are available at the link below.

Source: Quinnipiac University Poll, released March 7, 2022. https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3838