The Pew Research Center political typology (formerly the Times Mirror typology) is a political spectrum model developed by the Pew Research Center. It defines a series of voter profiles that identify specific segments of the electorate. First released in 1987 by the Times Mirror Company, the typology is updated every few years to reflect recent changes in the American electorate.
2021 typology
In the 2021 Pew Research Center political typology report, nine typology groups are identified, and these groups were organized into coalitions based on support for the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Racial inequality in the United States was found to be the most divisive issue between the different groups. Democratic leaning groups were found to disagree on the scope of government while Republican leaning groups were found to disagree on economic policy. The groups most independent from political parties were found to have low political interest overall.
Republican coalition
Faith and Flag Conservatives are highly conservative and highly religious voters. They make up 10% of the public and 23% of the Republican coalition. Flag and Faith Conservatives generally support school prayer and military over diplomacy, while they generally oppose legalized abortion and same-sex marriage. They are also the group most likely to claim that the United States "stands above all other countries in the world" and that illegal immigration is a "very big national problem". Faith and Flag Conservatives are more likely to reject the concept of white privilege and to agree that white Americans face more discrimination than African Americans. 99% of Faith and Flag Conservatives voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, and 86% claim that he won the election. Demographically, nearly half of Faith and Flag Conservatives are white evangelical Protestants, and they are the oldest of the typology groups with a median age of 57.
Committed Conservatives are conservative voters that emphasize pro-business views, international trade, and small government. They make up 7% of the public and 15% of the Republican coalition. They hold more moderate views on immigration and race than other groups in the Republican coalition. 96% of Committed Conservatives voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, but they are less likely than other Republican groups to support false claims of electoral fraud. However, they are more likely to support Republicans in Congress. They are also more likely to support the use of COVID-19 vaccines than other Republican groups. Demographically, 82% of Committed Conservatives are white, a majority are ages 50 and older, and they make up the most educated Republican group.
The Populist Right are highly conservative anti-immigrant voters that oppose the role of government and big businesses in American society. They make up 11% of the public and 23% of the Republican coalition. 97% of the Populist Right voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, and 85% claim that he won the election. The Populist Right are the most likely to believe that the number of legal immigrants should decrease and that the decreasing proportion of white Americans is bad for society, with 48% agreeing. They are also the Republican group most likely to support raising taxes on the rich. Demographically, 53% of the Populist Right are Protestants and they are one of the least educated groups.
The Ambivalent Right are younger voters that lean conservative on economic and race issues but lean moderate on social issues. They make up 12% of the public and 18% of the Republican coalition. 70% of the Ambivalent Right voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, while 25% voted for Joe Biden, and a majority of the Ambivalent Right reject claims that Trump won the election. They are more likely than other Republican groups to support diplomacy over military strength, legalized marijuana, legalized abortion, and "openness to people from all over the world". Demographically, the Ambivalent Right are younger and more ethnically diverse than other Republican groups, and they are the least religious Republican group, with 27% identifying as religiously unaffiliated.