In August, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to view the Supreme Court as ideologically conservative % who say the U.S. Supreme Court has power
Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) said the Supreme Court has the right amount of power. Similar shares of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (66%) and Democrats and Democratic leaners (64%) said the court has the right amount of power, according to a national Pew Research Center survey conducted July 27-Aug. 2 among 11,001 adults.
A smaller majority (56%) viewed the Supreme Court as middle of the road rather than liberal or conservative. Republicans (66%) were more likely than Democrats (47%) to say the court is middle of the road. Nearly half of Democrats (47%) – including 58% of liberal Democrats – saw the court as conservative, compared with just 12% of Republicans.
Partisans’ views of the Supreme Court’s ideology have changed since 2016. The share of Republicans who view the court as middle of the road has increased while the share who say it is liberal has fallen. Over the same period, Democrats have become more likely to say the court is conservative. Since 2016, President Donald Trump has appointed two justices to the court.
In August, Democrats were more likely  | than Republicans to view the Supreme  | Court as ideologically conservative  | % who say the U.S. Supreme Court has power  | Too much  | Right amount  | Too little  | Total  | 25  | 65  | 8  | Rep/Lean Rep  | 27  | 66  | Dem/Lean Dem  | 23  | 64  | 11  | % who say the current Supreme Court is  | Conse rvative Middle of the read  | Liberal  | Total  | 12  | 30  | 56  | Rep/Lean Rep  | 12  | 20  | 66  | Dem/Lean Dem  | 47  | 47  | Note: No answer responses not shown.  | Source: Online survey of U.S. adults conducted July 27-Aug. 2  | 2020.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 