Half of Americans would be drawn to an outsider candidate who shares their beliefs
Core finding
Verasight surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults from September 25 to 30, 2026. 50.0% of Americans say shared beliefs would make them more likely to vote for a presidential candidate who has never held office. A fresh perspective (45.8%) and seeming authentic and relatable (45.7%) come close behind.
Strong personal appeal or leadership draws 39.4%, not being part of the political establishment 34.8%, and challenging the status quo 34.6%. Some 15.5% say none of these would make them more willing, and respondents could pick several.
Selected responses
Half of Americans would be drawn to an outsider candidate who shares their beliefs.
Which of the following reasons would make you more likely to vote for such a candidate?
n = 1,000 · Sep 25–30, 2026 · MoE ±3.5%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Sep 25–30, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.5% |
| Module | Democracy, Politics, & Participation |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/2026-153-apsa-omnibus-report
Which of the following reasons would make you more likely to vote for such a candidate?
Cite this question
APSA Omnibus Survey #2026-153, fielded September 25-30, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.5%.