From the Maryland Population Research Center
"Political commentators have written a great deal about political polarization, but increasingly thinkers are considering the more centrist positions that people hold. In the context of divisive issues such as abortion or immigration policy, who are the people that embrace a middle-of-the-road position – what is their demographic makeup and does that makeup change over time? And how are they different from people who adopt more extreme positions? Drawing from the Michigan State of the State Survey, I examine data on attitudes about immigration and create a demographic profile of respondents who fall within a middle range of pro- vs. anti-immigration. I also look at changes in attitudes about immigration between 2011 and 2024. Results indicate that leading up to the last presidential election, Michigan residents had grown more skeptical of immigration but the proportion that were fervently anti-immigrant had not increased. Further, those expressing more ambivalent attitudes towards immigration suggest that they are indeed a “mushy middle” on partisan politics but have surprising demographic characteristics. I conclude with discussion on what direction these centrists might move towards in the future." Stephanie J. Nawyn is a professor in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University.
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