In 2023, FMC partnered with the University of Massachusetts Amherst UMass Poll to conduct a survey on the perspectives, beliefs, and experiences of Former Members of Congress. Nearly 300 Former Members responded to the survey, with close to a 50/50 split of Democrats and Republicans, and with service years spanning from 1962 to 2022. Our findings tell an interesting tale: Former Members are as disappointed with how our government is functioning as we are, they’re concerned for the state of our democracy, and they’re experiencing threats at a higher rate than ever before - but they’d still choose to serve in Congress if they had to do it all again. We’re excited to present some of our most important survey results below.

To read the full report, please click the button below.

 
 
 

Political Violence

Election-Related Violence

84% of Former Members indicate they’re concerned about the possibility of violence in 2024, with 74% of Republicans and 94% of Democrats showcasing their worry.

 

Threats

47% of Former Members indicated that they or their families received threats while in Congress, with the frequency increasing to 69% for Former Members who are woman and/or people of color.

30% of Former Members reported that their staff had received threats during their time in office, and 45% of Former Members who identified as women, African American, or Latino had staff who received threats.

 

Our survey also indicates that Former Members who were first elected more recently experienced a higher number of threats than those first elected earlier, along with their families and staff. The level of violence towards Former Members of Congress, their families, and their staff has increased over the last 50 years, and continues to do so.

Perspectives on Congress

Loss of Legislative Power

A majority of Former Members also agree that the Legislative Branch has lost power to the Judicial Branch, with 65% indicating so. However, in this instance, while 75% of Democrats agree with this statement, only 51% of Republicans feel the same.

81% of Former Members who completed the survey feel the Legislative Branch has lost power to the Executive Branch. Slightly more Republicans believe that the Legislative Branch has lost power to the Executive Branch, with 86% and 77% of each group agreeing, respectively.

 
 

Current State of Congress

When asked to describe the current state of Congress, the word used most by Former Members was “dysfunctional”. The next three most commonly used words - partisan, polarized, and divided - showcases a seemingly wide gap between Democrats and Republicans. The fifth most popular word, “mess”, echos the same sentiment as “dysfunctional.”

 
 

When asked about what they anticipate for Congress in the coming years, Former Members appear split in their expectations. The majority of Former Members indicated things will get “worse,” but almost as many think it will get “better.” “Trump” was the third most frequently used word, showcasing Former Members’ expectation for his influence to remain prominent in politics. The fourth and fifth most common words used to describe Former Members’ expectations were “unless” and “change,” displaying the hope and desire for change in the function and culture of Congress and our political environment.

 

Would You Still Run For Office?

Despite the dysfunction that survey respondents perceive in Congress, 74% report that they would still run for office if they were starting their career today, with 72% of Republicans and 77% of Democrats agreeing.

The 2020 Election

President Biden’s Legitimacy

100% of Democrats and 83% of Republicans who responded believe that Biden’s election in 2020 was legitimate. This is in stark contrast to survey results from the general voting population, in which 90% of Democrats and only 25% of Republicans believe the 2020 election was valid.

 

Threats to Democracy

The responses of Former Members continue to differ from those of the general electorate on perceptions of Trump’s impact on American Democracy. 89% of Democratic Former Members and 64% of Republican Former Members believe Trump’s efforts to claim he won the 2020 election threaten our nation’s democracy. Comparatively, in America’s general voting-age population, 78% of Democrats and 18% of Republicans feel the same way.

 

Republican Views on the 2020 Election

 
 

As demonstrated in the above graphics, one of the more surprising findings was how much the responses of Republican Former Members differed from Republicans in the U.S. Voting-Age Population. The views of Republican Former Members do not align with Republican voters on matters from Biden’s legitimacy, to Trump’s threat to democracy, to perceptions of January 6th and who, if anyone, should be held responsible.

Women Candidates

Women in the Media

94% of women surveyed agree that women who run for office experience sexist media coverage, while only 41% of male Former Members agree. Democrat and Republican opinions also differ greatly, with 69% of Democrats and 27% of Republicans believe women receive sexist media coverage when running for office.

 

Women and Elections

When asked whether women who run for office face significant bias from voters, 32% of Former Members who responded agreed. That number increases to 47% for Democrats, and 61% for women. However, only 27% of men and 15% of Republicans agreed.

 

Of the Former Members surveyed, 97% of women who responded agree that women have to be better qualified than men in order to win their elections, while only 33% of men agree. We also saw a partisan divide on this issue, with 53% of Democrats and 30% of Republicans agreeing.

63% of Former Members who responded to our survey believe that women who run for office are just as likely to win as men. 58% of Democrats, 68% of Republicans, and 68% of men agree with the statement. However, only 37% of women agree.

 

Overall, these findings showcase a continuous trend where a vast majority of female Former Members feel they are subjected to and impacted by gender bias, whereas most male Former Members disagree with these claims.

The results shared above reflect just a portion of the data collected. If you have any questions regarding the survey, or would like to learn more, please click the button below.