57% Say Reporters Try to Help Candidates They Want to Win

Publication Date: 02/09/2026 10:10 AM CST

57% Say Reporters Try to Help Candidates They Want to Win

Publication: 02/09/2026 10:10 AM CST

Member Content

The content you are trying to access is currently only available to Gold Circle Members. If you are a member, please log in to view.

To learn more about becoming a Gold Circle Member, please refer to our membership page.

Full Toplines: RESTRICTED

Full Crosstabs URL: RESTRICTED

Toplines are free for use after embargo, if any. Crosstabs are confidential and not for public release. However, you may cite specific demographic data from these reports.
For any data released, please cite Napolitan News Service.

Public Content

In August 2024, Napolitan News surveyed registered voters to learn whether they think political reporters are biased.
- More than half (57%) said political reporters try to help the candidates they want to win.
- Just 32% said the reporters try to present fair and unbiased news coverage.
- A plurality of Democrats voters (45%) said that reporters try to be fair and unbiased.
- A majority of Republicans (65%) said political reporters try to help the candidates they want to win.
If a reporter uncovered some information that was harmful to his or her preferred candidate, 47% of voters thought the reporter would hide the information to protect the preferred candidate.
- Thirty-seven percent (37%) said the reporter would report the information honestly.
- Sixteen percent (16%) were Not Sure.
- Democrats had more faith in reporters as they said the reporter would report honestly by a margin of 50% to 30%.
- Conversely, by a 61% to 29% margin, Republicans said the reporter would hide the information to protect the candidate.
Back in August 2024, when Kamala Harris was running against Donald Trump, 56% of voters said that most journalists would want Harris to win.
- One in 5 voters (19%) thought most journalists would want Trump to win.
- Only 9% of Democrats thought journalists would want Trump to win, but 32% of Republicans thought the same.
- A majority of Democrats (54%) and Republicans (60%) agreed that most journalists would want Harris to win.

This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, August 21-22, 2024. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.