New Survey Shows Surging Enthusiasm for Family Support Among Conservatives

In the wake of the House’s passage of a major tax package that expands the Child Tax Credit (CTC), a new American Compass survey finds that support for federal policies aimed at helping working families has grown substantially since 2021. The most dramatic shifts are among Republicans and ideological conservatives.

The survey, conducted in partnership with YouGov, asked 1,000 parenting-age Americans about their own families, their aspirations, and their views on family policy. It shows the extent to which families are feeling the squeeze and responding to policymakers who are coming forward to make the case for a public role in supporting families. 

The survey’s key findings include:

• 73% of respondents say the government should “provide more support for families with children,” up from 67% in early 2021. 
• Among Republicans, support jumped 17 percentage points. Similar increases are seen among conservatives and the working and middle classes.
• 55% of respondents have had fewer children than they wanted, up from 50% in 2021, and affordability continues to be the reason most often cited.
• Americans prefer one parent working full-time and one parent at home over two full-time working parents.
• Americans have a broad view of the “American Dream” beyond narrow measures like “better off than my parents,” with “earning enough to support a family” and “enjoying the freedom to live how and where you want” chosen as most and second most important, respectively.

Click here to read the full survey report.