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ZemlyaDrakona
@zemlyadrakona.bsky.social
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steffd62.bsky.social
February 10, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
ballotbox.scot
Only Edinburgh has the combination of political fragmentation and boundary changes that make it appealing to completely misrepresent what's going on in a specific seat. The redrawing of EdC creates a credibly three-way marginal, with none of the competitors being the second party in 2021 version!
February 10, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
ballotbox.scot
Relevant to this: in 2024, a majority (51%) of those polled in Scotland by Survation for BBS backed party funding approaches that involved a cap on private donations, with 60% overall backing a system of proper public funding for parties.
Party Funding Finally and similar to the last question, I wanted to ask about the thorny issue of funding for political parties, the subject of my first briefing (again, these need refreshed!). On this front, the poll asked: “Political parties in the UK are currently largely funded by private donations, including from wealthy donors. Some other countries provide public funding for political parties based on how many votes they receive at elections, and limit the value of donations individuals can make. Which of the following statements is closest to your view? ” The options for this question were that political parties should: … receive some public funding based on the votes they receive, and large donations should be capped … be entirely funded based on the votes they receive … be wholly funded by private donations … receive some public funding based on the votes they receive, but large donations should not be capped Public Funding, cap donations: 32% Public funding only: 19% Private donations only: 18% Public funding, no cap on donations: 9% Don't Know: 22%
February 12, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
gelliottmorris.com
One of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, forces in public opinion is elite leadership. Partisans largely “follow the lead“ of their side’s elites.
Arguing Dems shouldn’t try to shape opinion is arguing they should give up this power voluntarily. That’s dumb, not to mention morally vacuous
mattyglesias.bsky.social Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 4d
A critique I hear of me sometimes is that I don’t believe in changing public opinion.

What I would say is that I don’t really think *working politicians* should be focused on changing opinion, that’s the job for everyone else — go out and persuade someone!
perrybaconjr.bsky.social Perry Bacon @perrybaconjr.bsky.social · 5d
"Democratic politicians urgently need to adopt the GOP view of public opinion—that it’s movable, and it’s their job to move it." newrepublic.com/article/2058...
February 14, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
today.yougov.com
New polling on secession
% of adults in the following states who would support their state seceding from the U.S.
CA 27%
WA 25%
NM 25%
TX 24%
ME 23%
MN 23%
CT 22%
OR 21%
AR 20%
SC 20%
LA 20%
AL 20%
NY 19%
MS 19%
MA 18%
UT 11%
OK 11%
NH 11%
MO 10%
NE 10%
IA 9%
ID 7%
today.yougov.com/politics/art...
A chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "How many Americans want their state to secede?." The chart's sub-headline is: "Would you support your state seceding from the U.S.? (% of U.S. adults in each state who say "yes")." The chart has the note: "Note: Gray states each had fewer than 100 respondents. Responses of "no" and "not sure" are not shown."
February 14, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
today.yougov.com
% who think states should | shouldn't have a right to secede from the U.S. if their population supports it
U.S. adults 27% | 39%
Democrats 28% | 40%
Independents 29% | 33%
Republicans 25% | 46%
today.yougov.com/politics/art...
A chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "27% of Americans say states should have a right to secede if their population supports it." The chart's sub-headline is: "Do you think states should have a right to secede from the U.S. if their population supports it? (%)."
February 14, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
today.yougov.com
See a state-by-state look at preferences of state residents for what their state should do if it were to secede from the U.S.
today.yougov.com/politics/art...
A chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "What comes after secession?." The chart's sub-headline is: "If your state were going to secede from the U.S., would you prefer that it...? (%)." The chart has the note: "Note: States with fewer than 100 respondents are not included. Responses of "join some other country" and "not sure" are not shown."
February 14, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
today.yougov.com
New polling on U.S. presidents and first ladies
% of U.S. adult citizens who rate the following as outstanding | poor
Washington 39% | 2%
Lincoln 45% | 2%
JFK 26% | 2%
Nixon 2% | 27%
Reagan 22% | 12%
Clinton 7% | 18%
Obama 25% | 22%
Trump 19% | 48%
Biden 7% | 38%
today.yougov.com/politics/art...
A chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "How Americans rate U.S. presidents." The chart's sub-headline is: "How would you rate the following president? (% of U.S. adult citizens)."
February 14, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
today.yougov.com
Net rating among Democrats | Republicans: % who rate them as outstanding or above average minus % who say below average or poor
Lincoln +74 | +78
JFK +70 | +62
Washington +53 | +74
Reagan −20 | +71
Obama +83 | −60
Trump −91 | +70
Biden +49 | −87
Nixon −62 | −7
today.yougov.com/politics/art...
A chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "How Democrats and Republicans rate U.S. presidents." The chart's sub-headline is: "How would you rate the following president? (% who say "outstanding" or "above average" - % who say "below average" or "poor")." The chart has the note: "Note: Responses of "average" and "not sure" are not shown."
February 14, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
today.yougov.com
% of U.S. adult citizens who rate the following as outstanding | poor
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 29% | 3%
Rosalynn Carter 17% | 4%
Nancy Reagan 16% | 8%
Hillary Clinton 9% | 33%
Michelle Obama 33% | 22%
Melania Trump 18% | 36%
Jill Biden 12% | 25%
today.yougov.com/politics/art...
A chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "How Americans rate U.S. first ladies." The chart's sub-headline is: "How would you rate the following first lady? (% of U.S. adult citizens)."
February 14, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
today.yougov.com
Net rating among Democrats | Republicans: % who rate them outstanding or above average minus % who say below average or poor
Rosalynn Carter +52 | +16
Nancy Reagan 0 | +58
Michelle Obama +90 | −52
Jill Biden −68 | +53
Melania Trump −82 | +57
Hillary Clinton +46 | −73
today.yougov.com/politics/art...
A chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "How Democrats and Republicans rate U.S. first ladies." The chart's sub-headline is: "How would you rate the following first lady? (% who say "outstanding" or "above average" - % who say "below average" or "poor")." The chart has the note: "Note: Responses of "average" and "not sure" are not shown."
February 14, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
yougov.co.uk
Keir Starmer has called for "deeper links" with the EU in his speech at the Munich Security Conference.

Latest YouGov data shows 62% of Britons want a closer relationship with the EU; 54% want to rejoin

ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/Co...
February 14, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
yougov.co.uk
Did Greenland crisis push public opinion more towards rejoining the EU?

Support for rejoining rises slightly when asked in a scenario where US-Europe alliance ends, but fact that our regular trackers showed no change suggests Britons don't see that scenario playing out

yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
February 14, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
yougov.co.uk
2024 Reform UK voters are also less likely to describe themselves as anti-Russia (48%) than other voters (66-79%)

yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
February 14, 2026 at 11:09 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
yougov.co.uk
Keir Starmer has branded Reform UK as 'pro-Putin' at the Munich Security Conference

28% of Britons see Reform UK as pro-Russia, making them the only party the public see as more pro-Russia than anti-Russia

yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
February 14, 2026 at 11:09 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
devolvedelections.bsky.social
For context, this is not the place with the highest projected Reform vote, that's Banffshire and Buchan Coast.

This is just the one with the lowest projected vote for anyone else.
devolvedelections.bsky.social Devolved Election Projections @devolvedelections.bsky.social · 4d
That one Reform seat is in Aberdeenshire West. Its a coin flip, and whoever wins could get less than a third of the vote there.

FPTP does not work with more than two parties.
Aberdeenshire West Reform 29.8%, SNP 29.3 % Conservatives 21.1%
February 14, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
devolvedelections.bsky.social
Our Hex maps make this dominance clearer: the SNP are winning 59/73 constituency seats with just over a third of the vote.

They could win just 1 list seat.
Map of scotland with each constituency as an equal hex. 59/73 are going to the SNP. List seat graphic: The SNP winning 1 seat in Highland & Islands region, 0 everywhere else.
February 14, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
devolvedelections.bsky.social
Unionist parties are well ahead on votes but losing because the system boosts parties who win lots of constituency seats, like the SNP.

More on that here: www.thenational.scot/news/2583446...
Pro Indy: 43% of list votes, 71 seats Unionist: 56.1% of list votes, 58 seats
February 14, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
gelliottmorris.com
It’s really not worth engaging with people via social media, where they are in ideological performance and auto-defense/dunk mode. Nobody is acknowledging epistemic uncertainty on twitter dot com. Also these guys are particularly exhausting rage-baiters
danancona.bsky.social Dan Ancona @danancona.bsky.social · 5d
Kinda forgot about this but the Dems still on Elon’s kiddie porn and paid nude generator shack are still really confused about this. Or less confused, and more reallllly mad I pointed it out.
gelliottmorris.com G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · Nov 13
1/2 One of the big problems for the always-punching-left Democratic consultants is that they are waging ideological battles in public that actually _reinforce_ the left-wing image of the party that they are trying to fight. That is a risk they have decided
substack.com/@lakshyajain...
February 14, 2026 at 3:28 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
danancona.bsky.social
Idk. I feel this, but also - unchallenged arguments stand, and if people are willing to engage in something even vaguely like good faith, I’ll go there. Won’t convince them much but it might at least dent the thinking of others who see it. And epistemic climates do shift over time.
February 14, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
gelliottmorris.com
1/2 One of the big problems for the always-punching-left Democratic consultants is that they are waging ideological battles in public that actually _reinforce_ the left-wing image of the party that they are trying to fight. That is a risk they have decided
substack.com/@lakshyajain...
November 13, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
gelliottmorris.com
to take, and a product of people in the media getting involved in these fights.
Back when the Dems competed everywhere, the party kept much of the fight from spilling over into a daily public drumbeat of "the party has moved too far left." It's frankly naive to think that doesn't have impacts. 2/2
November 13, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
gelliottmorris.com
The NYT appears to have edited their incorrect paragraphs on public opinion toward Trump’s immigration policies, completely changing the meaning of the paragraph and not offering a note on the piece. Cmon…
ciencia-incierta.bsky.social ciencia-incierta.bsky.social @ciencia-incierta.bsky.social · 5d
There's been a substantial edit, with no correction noted in the article as of now.
Republicans, who only weeks ago appeared to be pivoting on immigration following the killings of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis, appear to have snapped back to a bellicose stance, buoyed by polls that show their voters are firmly behind President Trump’s handling of the issue, and voters overall trust their party more to handle it, though that edge is shrinking.
February 14, 2026 at 3:13 AM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
pewresearch.org
Democrats (61%) are more than twice as likely as Republicans (25%) to say they have confidence in journalists to act in the public’s best interests.

Find more on the confidence in journalists here:www.pewresearch.org/...
Chart showing that Democrats are more confident than Republicans that journalists act in the best interests of the public.
February 13, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by ZemlyaDrakona
gelliottmorris.com
This poll from CBS News/YouGov contradicts the popular claim that voters think Democrats are as ideologically extreme as Republicans
February 15, 2026 at 1:01 AM