A special Pulse Pod episode is here, and it’s one you won’t want to miss! Brent Buchanan dives into his upcoming book America’s Emotional Divide: Navigating the Powerful Decision-Making Forces Impacting Politics, Policies & Personal Choices. This conversation explores why authenticity and truth are what people crave, why sometimes culture often outweighs the economy in shaping decisions, and how emotions—especially anger and anxiety—drive voting behavior. Brent also touches on the “Trump effect,” the role of social media and podcasts in reshaping political influence, and why these tools were so effective in past elections. Most importantly, he shares how the strategies in his book can help create positive change. 

We’re only scratching the surface here—tune in to the full episode of Part 1 to uncover the insights that could transform how you view politics and culture. 

Follow Brent for more updates: Twitter/X: @brentbuc

Cygnal's Pulse Pod Ep. 82 Democrats New Theme Song: "Breaking the Law!" w/ Pollsters Brent Buchanan and Chris Lane - Join us for the latest episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into the most recent political trends and public opinion shifts that are reshaping America's political landscape. Our data-driven analysis reveals some surprising developments that you won't want to miss.

Our Pollsters’ Top Five: 

New Issues Emerging: This is the first time this decade, or about the time of Trump’s entrance into American political life, the top issue has not been inflation and the economy or immigration and border security. “Threats to democracy” (21%) is now the top priority in voters’ minds. Healthcare jumped three points – nearly doubling among non-college educated voters – as government shutdown coverage resurfaces the Obamacare subsidies debate. 

Schumer Shutdown 2.0: while all major figures from both partis saw dips in their images amid the government shutdown (Schumer +2 unfavorable, Jeffries +4 unfavorable), by a nearly 2:1 margin, 60 percent voters say the current government shutdown is just being used as a strategic tool to advance a political agenda.  

Judas Priest? “Breaking the Law” could be the Democratic theme song these days as young Democrats aged 18-44 are +15 on breaking the law to oppose ICE, while Democrats older than 45 are –42 showing how extremely frustrated young Democrats are with their party leadership.

Black to the Future: Black voters were the only major demographic (+9) to say that they would prefer time traveling into the future versus the past, if given the option. Even though most of the political spectrum preferred the past, it was voters who viewed the current direction of America positively whom over-indexed (+36 net) on preferring to travel back in time. Voters who supported Kamala Harris in 2024 were oddly the most indecisive with 25 percent saying they were unsure about either time travel option. 

MAHA Momentum: though the movement’s messenger, RFK Jr., has seen dip in his image (-5), overall support for the policy agenda and mission of challenging the status quo remains incredibly strong (74%). Even among the Democratic base, MAHA’s support stands at 55 percent, with 68 percent support among moderates.  

Cygnal's Pulse Pod Ep. 81 Women Under 55 vs. Everyone Else: America’s Deepening Divide w/ Pollsters Brent Buchanan and John Rogers - Join us for the latest episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into the most recent political trends and public opinion shifts that are reshaping America's political landscape. Our data-driven analysis reveals some surprising developments that you won't want to miss.

Highlights:
Parental and reproductive concerns: it’s back-to-school season and a quarter of parents of PreK-12 students say political interference (24%) in their children’s education is the issue they are most concerned with. Physical safety and security are cited by 26 percent of parents, followed by curriculum content (13%) and academic performance (12%), with AI, and resourcing issues as tertiary concerns. Democrats (37%) are more concerned than Republicans (22%) about political interference while swing voters prioritize student safety. As the U.S. inches toward dropping below the repopulation number, 72 percent believe the ideal number of children is 2 or more.

Foreign and domestic: 2026 midterm election season is underway, and swing voters say President Trump should focus more on domestic issues than international affairs (by a +4 margin). Overall, 58 percent of voters agree with only 13 percent thinking Trump’s focus should remain more internationally.

Edge maintenance: despite a slight increase in pessimism about the direction of the country and worsening perceptions about the impact of inflation, the GOP maintains an edge over Democrats with voters’ trust on every major issue area. As off-year elections in New Jersey and Virginia set the stage for the 2026 midterms, both parties have made gains along diploma and community type divides – Republicans remain resilient among non-college educated voters (shifting +12 since May) while Democrats make gains among the college-educated. Urban and rural voters both shifted +4 net toward a generic GOP in the last month, while suburban voters moved +6 net toward a generic Democrat.

Party trust by top issues: 

• Economy and jobs (R+3) 

• Costs of living (R+3) 

• Illegal immigration and border security (R+22) 

• Crime and public safety (R+16) 

• Cutting wasteful government spending (R+17) 

• Foreign affairs (R+4) 

Trans as an illness: views on transgenderism remain split with 42 percent of voters saying they believe it is a mental illness while 44 percent say it’s a natural variation of human identity. The belief that it’s natural is driven mostly by women (+23) under age 55. Men and swing voters (+3) said being transgender is a mental illness. 

Two-state illusion: partisanship, age, and race define attitudes on the Israel–Hamas conflict and the potential of a two-state solution. Fifty-six percent of voters either oppose or are unsure about a two-state solution while 43 percent support it, mostly driven by Democrats (+46), voters under 55 (+24), college‑educated (+26), urban (+29), and non‑white (+22). But among voters who want Trump to focus less on international affairs and more on domestic issues (58%), support for a two‑state solution shrinks by 6 net points. 

Cygnal's Pulse Pod Ep. 80 69% of Americans reject race-based redistricting; views on the American Dream on life support; and the Fed Under Fire w/ Pollsters Brent Buchanan and Mitch Brown - Join us for the latest episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into the most recent political trends and public opinion shifts that are reshaping America's political landscape. Our data-driven analysis reveals some surprising developments that you won't want to miss.

Highlights:

• Democratic doldrums: Despite continue attacks against him, Donald Trump’s image remains resilient; since Liberation Day in April, unfavorable views toward Trump have not moved an inch. Republicans (-5 net image) continue to be viewed much more favorably than Democrats (-11 net image). Formerly the party of the working class, Democrats are now viewed 57 percent unfavorable and only 38 percent favorable among blue collar voters (-19 net image). However, Democrats are more motivated for the midterms compared to Republicans. 
  
  “There is a good reason President Trump is focused on issues that play well to his base,” said Brent Buchanan, Pollster and President at Cygnal. “He sees that 71 percent of Democrats say they are highly motivated, and despite all the lunacy we see each week from the Left, Trump won’t take anything for granted. Republicans should follow Trump’s lead and do everything they can, especially as we’re close to year out from the midterms, to close that motivation gap. Trump still has a long list of things he wants to accomplish and he’s a man of action, so expect to see base issues pop up more and more as we get closer.” 

• Interest in rates: is about the extent of voters’ engagement with the president’s latest complaints about the Federal Reserve. A whopping 78 percent say they are concerned about the impact of interest rates on the economy, and 57 percent want the Fed to lower rates over the next year, echoing President Trump’s call for a course correction. Only 10 percent approve of how rates have been handled, with 46 percent also believing the main reason for raising rates is to control inflation. Overall, voters are agnostic about Powell’s tenure as chair or his continued service in that role, but they have strong opinions about the outcome of Powell’s choices on interest rates. 

• MAHA aligns: further with the American mainstream by rejecting government subsidies for unhealthy foods. Sixty-one percent of voters say food stamps should not be eligible for purchasing unhealthy foods like sugary snacks and drinks as well as other highly processed junk. Once again, Democrats are picking the wrong side of a popular issue, with 53% believing EBT should be able to be spent on junk food. 
  
  “For some reason, the debate about using government food stamps to purchase junk food, is one we’ve been having for years,” said Brown. “Trump is a president who ends these kinds of debates by following commonsense. Everyone knows junk food decreases long-term health outcomes. Allowing folks who need those programs to purchase food that doesn’t help them get to a better place goes against commonsense and good use of public resources. So much of the MAHA platform is based on commonsense and this is just another example of how it aligns with where the clear majority of Americans are.” 
  
  
• Tariffs never backfired: against Trump as views remain mostly split since their announcement – though a majority (53%) understand tariffs have resulted in increased government revenue. Aware of this increased revenue, 48 percent say the president has been successful in his tariff negotiations. Independents are least supportive of the tariffs with 14 percent opposing them outright and 21 percent saying Trump’s work has been unsuccessful. 

Cygnal's Pulse Pod Ep. 79 - “Karens” Freak Out Over ICE Raids as Hispanic Support for Deportations Surges: NVT Poll w/ Pollsters Brent Buchanan and Nick Weinstein - Join us for the latest episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into the most recent political trends and public opinion shifts that are reshaping America's political landscape. Our data-driven analysis reveals some surprising developments that you won't want to miss.

Highlights:

• Spike Alert: For the first time since September 2022, threats to democracy (18%) has overtaken inflation and the economy (17%) as the top priority among likely voters. This marks an 18-point drop for concerns about inflation/economy since April. This shift is mostly driven by Democrats (-15 since June), younger voters (-17), and non-white voters (-11). 
  
  
• Immune to Changing Circumstances: 78 percent of voters who switched to Trump in 2024 or were new Trump voters said that he keeps his promises better than most politicians. Half of all voters agree, and 38 percent said Trump keeps his campaign promises “much better than most.” 
  
  
• Tale of Two Republics – CA vs. TX: Voters prefer Texas as a national model over California, except on abortion, which ranks lowest (1%) in top priorities. Even on gun control, Texas (32%) outranks California (27%) as well as on crime and public safety (TX-35% to CA-16%) 

• Karens on ICE: As we noted above, prevailing narratives don’t align with where voters are on issues surrounding illegal immigration. But who are the voters most apoplectic about the recent ICE raids? While voters are split overall, it’s mostly women – specifically, older women moved from +32 net on generic deportation to net-even while non-college educated women moved from +26 net to net-even. 
  
  
• Lions and Hammers: The Israeli-led Operation Rising Lion to destroy Iran’s terrorist apparatus and deter offensive attacks had 50 percent overall support driven largely by men (+29 net justified). The American-led Operation Midnight Hammer had more overall support (57%) with a quarter of Democrats saying the attack was justified. Swing voters also agree (58-32 in favor). Depending on voters’ cable news preferences, the cause of the Israel-Iran conflict is drastically different. If you watch MSNBC, it’s Israel’s fault (+9%) but if you watch Fox News, it’s because of Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions (+15%). 

Cygnal's Pulse Pod Ep. 78 - Record Number Say Nation is on Right Track; Voters Back Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ for Tax Relief and Border Security: Poll w/ Pollsters Brent Buchanan and Alex Tarascio - Join us for the latest episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into the most recent political trends and public opinion shifts that are reshaping America's political landscape. Our data-driven analysis reveals some surprising developments that you won't want to miss.

Highlights:

• Big and Beautiful: Parents (+11 net support), swing voters (+9), and those earning under $75k (+5), are the most supportive of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” proving President Trump’s policy content is a winning message with his unique and growing coalition. When the bill is explicitly tied to the President, female support shifts 12 points to the negative. While Democrats claim the bill is a handout to the wealthy, those making over $200,000 are the least supportive (-16) group by income. 
• Tariffs Explained: A great irony among Democrat voters is that 54 percent say they prefer a free market approach on trade without government intervention. Overall, when President Trump’s tariff rationale is explained, a plurality of voters (34%) support using tariffs to pressure companies to bring production home with an additional 26 percent supporting the goal but not the method – showing broad support for the idea of reshoring. 
• Antisemitism: 82 percent of voters say they are concerned about rising antisemitism in the United States. When asked which groups are treated fairly or unfairly, Republicans and Democrats see completely different problems. Republicans say Jewish (57%), White (40%), and Native American (38%) peoples were treated most unfairly whereas Democrats say Black (73%), Palestinian (70%), and Native American (70%) peoples. Older voters are 10 points more likely than those under 55 to say Jewish people face unfair treatment. 
• Death and Taxes: When asked about specific provisions in the “BBB”, the top three most supported performers all concern taxation. Increasing the standard deduction for seniors (24%) took the top spot, followed by eliminating taxes on tips and overtime (17%) and permanently extending the Trump tax cuts (17%). Interest in the bill’s tax provisions comes alongside another record number (47%) who think the country is headed in the right direction and a growing sense of fiscal hawkishness with voters saying that reducing government waste and spending is a top priority at 12 percent. 

Cygnal's Pulse Pod Ep. 77 - AOC More Popular than Schumer, Trump Image Improving, GOP Decimating Dems on Key Issue Trust: NVT Poll w/ Pollsters Brent Buchanan and John Rogers - Join us for the latest episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into the most recent political trends and public opinion shifts that are reshaping America's political landscape. Our data-driven analysis reveals some surprising developments that you won't want to miss.

Highlights:

• First 100 Days: despite complete saturation of negative news coverage (92%), President Trump and Congressional Republicans outpace Democrats’ favorability/trust maintaining an edge on multiple key issues – on the economy (R+2), cost of living (R+2), illegal immigration (R+25), crime and public safety (R+13), cutting waste/spending (R+18), and foreign affairs (R+2). Married women (8%), union members (10%), and Hispanics (4%) also all swung to the GOP since April. 
• AOC vs. Schumer: fresh off the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, AOC’s favorables (39% fav., 40% unfav.) versus that of Senator Chuck Schumer’s (33% fav., 49% unfav.) highlight not just a potential contentious Democratic primary battle for the senator’s seat in 2026, but accentuated ideological battles within the party. Add in that former President Obama, now eight years removed from office, is still seen as the leader (13%) of the Democratic Party, dominating all others like Schumer (10%), Harris (7%), Booker (6%), AOC (5%), and Jeffries (5%) – with most voters (33%) saying they were unsure of who the leader is. 
• Above All Else: 52 percent of voters said President Trump should focus the most on reducing the costs of living. No other issue comes even half as close with cutting wasteful spending (21%), bringing jobs back to America (18%), securing the border (18%) and deporting dangerous illegals (18%).
• Negotiate Everything: 58 percent support President Trump’s attempts to renegotiate trade deals with foreign countries, including 63% of swing voters. Additionally, 48 percent of voters support increasing tariffs on China as a way to force better trading terms for the United States.  
• DOGE Disconnect: 21 percent of voters want President Trump to focus on cutting government spending while DOGE, the entity largely in charge of this endeavor, has an underwater image of 48 unfavorable versus 44 percent favorable. This represents a messaging opportunity for the White House to showcase DOGE’s right-sizing of the federal government.  

Cygnal's Pulse Pod: 48% Support Trump Negotiating Settlement to War in Ukraine as Optimism at Home Rises - Join us for the latest episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into the most recent political trends and public opinion shifts that are reshaping America's political landscape. Our data-driven analysis reveals some surprising developments that you won't want to miss.

Highlights:

Top Priorities: ‘Threats to democracy’ rose five points to an all-time high (22%) while concerns about inflation and the economy ticked up by two points remaining the number one priority. Trump’s massive action to curtail illegal border crossings by over 90 percent and deploy more resources has resulted in a three-point drop among Americans’ top issues. Sentiments at Home vs. Abroad: for the second straight month since we’ve been running this NVT poll, optimism about the direction of the country (45%) is at its highest level. Additionally, 42 percent believe things are getting better in America. Looking abroad, just 27 percent think things on the world stage are getting better while 64 percent say things are getting worse. America’s Role: Less than half of Americans (43%) say America should play a leading role in promoting democracy worldwide while 38 percent say our role should be more supportive and 12 percent said we should be neutral. Negotiate with Putin? 48 percent support President Trump engaging in direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek a resolution to the ongoing war with Ukraine. Sixty-nine percent of Democrats oppose this approach. Seventy-nine percent of Americans have an unfavorable view of Russia. Yay or NATO? Sentiment towards NATO has taken a hit over the past three years with only (55%) of Americans have a favorable opinion of NATO while 28 percent have an unfavorable opinion, largely driven by non-college men (41%) and Republicans (46%). Democrats (72%), Independents (61%), and college-educated (66%) have the most favorable opinions of NATO. United Nations Funding: views among Americans are mixed (43% support; 44% oppose) regarding President Trump’s executive order to withdraw funding for certain U.N. programs citing contradictions with American interests and value. Who’s the Superpower? 66 percent say the United States is the world’s leading superpower while 21 percent say China is the leader. Over a third (31%) of Black Americans say China is the leader over the U.S. Overall, Americans have an unfavorable opinion of China (75%) while only 13 percent have a favorable view. Every demo, except Blacks (45%), had a 50+ percent negative view of China. Most Disliked: three quarters (75%) of Americans of have an unfavorable opinion of Iran, including voters who switched to Trump (57%) in 2024 from Biden in 2020. Eighteen percent have no opinion of Iran and only seven percent have a favorable opinion. 

Quick Hits: 

• USA Image (71% favorable; 26% unfavorable) 

• Trump Image (47% favorable; 52% unfavorable) 

• Biden Image (40% favorable; 55% unfavorable) 

• Elon Musk Image (42% favorable; 53% unfavorable) 

• Congressional Republicans (44% favorable; 52% unfavorable) 

• Congressional Democrats (40% favorable; 54% unfavorable) 

Cygnal's Pulse Pod: LIVE from Dubai, New Data Shows Middle Easterners WAY More Positive About the U.S. Than Americans - Join us for this special episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into our recent poll in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar) presented by Pollsters Brent Buchanan and Alex Tarascio. This survey breaks down interesting views on international affairs and optimism about the direction of America among other key issues.

A Couple Episode Highlights:

Global Direction: generally speaking, 59 percent of respondents said things in the world are getting better versus 35 percent who said they’re getting worse. Contrast this with the United States where 64 percent said things were getting worse versus 27 percent saying things are on the upswing. 

Trump Image: Middle Easterners who have no opinion (13%) of Trump offset his unfavorable image (36%) while his favorable image (48%) is one point higher than Americans’ (47%). 


Effectiveness of NGOs? Middle Easterners, who have arguably had more interaction with international NGOs than American voters, are more likely to believe these organizations are effective in addressing global challenges (57% say NGOs are effective). In contrast, American voters, who have contributed more financially to NGOs, are more skeptical, with a plurality (43%) saying NGOs are ineffective.  

Global Images: 

• United States: among Americans (71% fav.; 26% unfav.), among Middle Easterners (55% fav.; 32% unfav.) 

• Russia: among Americans (11% fav.; 79% unfav.), among Middle Easterners (54% fav.; 30% unfav.) 

• China: among Americans (13% fav.; 75% unfav.), among Middle Easterners (69% fav.; 19% unfav.) 

• Iran: among Americans (7% fav.; 75% unfav.), among Middle Easterners (32% fav.; 48% unfav.) 

Brent Buchanan X - @brentbuc
Alex Tarascio X - @alextarascio

Cygnal's Pulse Pod: Trump's Surprising Surge and America's Shifting Landscape - Join us for the latest episode of Cygnal's Pulse Pod as we dive into the most recent political trends and public opinion shifts that are reshaping America's political landscape. Our data-driven analysis reveals some surprising developments that you won't want to miss.

Episode Highlights:

Black Men Love Trump: We'll explore the unexpected political realignment as Trump makes significant inroads with historically Democratic-leaning constituencies. A staggering 42% of black men now approve of Trump's job performance.

Top Issues: Discover why inflation and the economy have become the nation's primary concern, overshadowing previous hot-button issues like immigration.

Party Perceptions: We'll break down the current favorability ratings of Democrats and Republicans in Washington, with some surprising results.

COVID-19 Origins: Learn about the growing consensus regarding the origins of the COVID-19 virus, with two-thirds of Americans now believing it likely originated from a Chinese lab.

National Mood: Find out why Americans are suddenly feeling more optimistic about the country's direction.

Trump's Wins: We'll discuss several of Trump's policies that are gaining traction with the public, including:

• Merit-based hiring vs. DEI initiatives
• Declassification of historical assassination files
• Immigration and border security measures
• Support for reducing government spending
• Tariffs on China
• The surprising public opinion on acquiring Greenland

Mixed Reviews: We'll also touch on some policies receiving mixed public support, such as birthright citizenship and tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Don't miss this comprehensive look at the evolving American political landscape. Subscribe to Cygnal's Pulse Pod for in-depth analysis and expert insights on the latest trends shaping our nation's future.

Brent Buchanan X - @brentbuc
John Rogers X - @johnrogersal

In this special BONUS episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, President and Founder Brent Buchanan, together with Vice President Brock McCleary, discuss insights into the latest data shifts as the 2024 election cycle reaches its final stretch. Our experts take a deeper dive into the data in this podcast episode and illuminate pivotal trends and changes in voter behavior, offering a timely examination of the data’s implications for the current political landscape with just days to go until Election Day. Listen now and SUBSCRIBE!

On the latest episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, Cygnal Pollster, Founder, and President Brent Buchanan sits down with our Director of Innovation Noah Wyhof-Rudnick to discuss key takeaways from the data presented in October's national voter survey from NVT Live. Listen to expert opinion and analysis on how the election is shaping up as we are now under 4 weeks until Election Day. This is the perfect listen if you were unable to join our online panel to discover new key insights.

In this new episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, our pollsters and data experts reflect on key data from our latest poll on all the battleground districts nationwide after the second Presidential debate wrapped. Listen to VP of Polling Brock McCleary and Director of Polling Mike Yelovich to gain a comprehensive understanding of the prevailing political winds shaping these KEY districts as we edge closer and closer to November and discover questions asked live during the presentation. This is the perfect listen if you were unable to join our Battlegrounds Zoom Presentation!

On the latest episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, Cygnal Pollster Chris Lane sits down with our Director of Innovation Noah Wyhof-Rudnick to discuss key takeaways from the data presented in August's national voter survey from NVT Live. Listen to expert opinion and analysis on how the election is shaping up as we edge closer to November. This is the perfect listen if you were unable to join our online panel to discover new key insights.

In this new episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, our pollsters and data experts reflect on key data from our latest poll on all the battleground districts nationwide after the first Presidential debate wrapped. Listen to VP of Polling Brock McCleary and Director of Polling Mike Yelovich to gain a comprehensive understanding of the political dynamics shaping these key states, follow the national trends until election day, and discover questions asked live during the presentation. Be on the lookout for new battlegrounds data in September up to election day!

On the latest episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, Cygnal Pollster Mitch Brown sits down with our Director of Innovation Noah Wyhof-Rudnick to discuss key takeaways from the data presented in June's national voter survey from NVT Live. Listen to expert opinion and analysis on economic data and party realignment trends that will be the key in messaging to voters in 2024. This is the perfect listen if you were unable to join our online panel to discover new key insights as we gear up for November.

In this new episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, our pollsters and data experts reflect on key data from our latest poll on all the battleground districts nationwide. Listen to VP of Polling Brock McCleary and Director of Polling Mike Yelovich to gain a comprehensive understanding of the political dynamics shaping these key states, follow the national trends until election day, and discover questions asked live during the presentation. Be on the lookout for new battlegrounds data in July up to election day!

On the latest episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, Cygnal Pollster Mitch Brown sits down with our Director of Innovation Noah Wyhof-Rudnick to discuss key takeaways from the data presented in April's national voter survey from NVT Live. Listen to expert opinion and analysis on economic data and party realignment trends that will be the key in messaging to voters in 2024. This is the perfect listen if you were unable to join our online panel to discover new key insights as we gear up for November.

In this new episode of the Cygnal Pulse Pod, our pollsters and data experts reflect on key data from our latest poll on all the battleground districts nationwide. Listen to VP of Polling Brock McCleary and Director of Polling Mike Yelovich to gain a comprehensive understanding of the political dynamics shaping these key states, follow the national trends until election day, and discover questions asked live during the presentation. Be on the lookout for new battlegrounds data in May and throughout the election year!