Politics and passion: Poll reveals California Republicans are more likely to date Democrats than vice-versa

Interestingly, singles in 2024 ‘battleground’ voting states are more open to dating across political lines.

Scroll across any dating app nowadays, and you’ll spot the usual wish list: a kind heart, loyal soul, and an appetite for adventure. But tucked between the emojis and the selfies with puppies, a new deal-breaker is trending: a refusal to date someone who supports an opposing political party.

“It’s encouraging to see that many singles are looking beyond political affiliations when seeking a partner,” said Amber Brooks of DatingAdvice.com. “Our findings suggest that while politics are a defining aspect of our identity, they don’t necessarily dictate our personal relationships. Even in an era of polarized political views, love still has the potential to unite us.”

As our politics becomes more and more politized, it would appear that the heart is taking sides, and ‘independent’ romantics — those willing to date beyond party lines — are dwindling.

However, a poll by DatingAdvice.com offers a glimmer of hope. They surveyed 3,000 singles to find out just how many are truly politically colorblind in Cupid’s game. It’s a quirky, election-year exploration of love’s new battleground — where politics and passion collide.

Encouragingly, the poll found that more than half of singles in California (59 percent) remain open to dating across the political spectrum. However, this was below the national average of 63 percent.

More specifically, 15 percent of Republican voting singles in California would not date a Democrat. On the flipside, 27 percent of Democrats would not date a Republican voter.

Daring daters
Notably, the willingness to date across party lines varies widely by region. In Delaware, for instance, a mere 9 percent of both Democrat and Republican singles are sticklers for same-party sweethearts, which means a staggering 82 percent are game for a mixed-political mingle.

Dakota’s dating divide
In contrast, South Dakota shows a much lower propensity for bipartisan romance. Only 29 percent of the state’s singles consider themselves ‘independent’ in their dating choices, displaying a preference for partners within the same political party.

A deeper look into the dating data revealed the following insights
Conservative Cupids
When it comes specifically to Republican singles, a striking trend appears. Particularly in North Dakota, a significant 50 percent show an unwillingness to step across the political aisle for romance. On the other hand, Republican singles in Kansas display a greater openness, with just 4 percent indicating they would not entertain the prospect of dining with a Democrat. In general, a modest 17 percent of Republican singles nationwide said they would not be prepared to go on a Democrat date.

Liberal love
Democratic singles seem comparatively less amenable to crossing party lines for a date, with 20 percent saying ‘no’ to dating Republicans, slightly higher than their GOP counterparts at 17 percent.

In South Dakota, this trend is even more pronounced, where 43 percent of Democrat voters are unwilling to consider Republicans romantically. Meanwhile, in Utah, Democratic singles are much more flexible, with only 8 percent saying they would swipe left on a Republican — possibly a pragmatic choice given the limited dating pool.

Caucus crush
Among the fascinating findings of the study is the link between states with a high rate of politically open-minded singles and those identified by analysts as key battlegrounds in the upcoming 2024 election.

The consensus among experts suggests seven critical states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Intriguingly, DatingAdvice.com‘s poll indicates that nearly all these states, except one, boast a larger or average share of singles who are ‘independents’ when it comes to dating:

In the context of 2024’s pivotal “Battleground of Hearts”, Arizona sees 63 percent of its daters willing to cross party lines; Georgia has 62 percent open to bipartisan dating; Michigan reports a substantial 67 percent; Nevada also shows an impressive 71 percent; North Carolina presents 63 percent open-minded singles; Pennsylvania takes the lead with 72 percent; and Wisconsin features 65 percent ready to date across the aisle.