Can a Democrat and a Republican Have a Happy Relationship?

Election season is upon us, and it might make you wonder: can you have a happy, long lasting relationship with someone who supports a different political party than you do?

There’s no doubt that dating someone who supports the opposing candidate can cause a lot of debates and potential conflict between the two of you. But is it possible for a relationship with a Republican when you’re a Democrat (or vice versa) actually thrive? Do politically mixed marriages work? Let’s take a closer look at what research shows.

Are You Likely to Marry Someone of a Different Political Party?

Although politically mixed marriages themselves aren’t that uncommon, it’s worth noting that marriages between Democrats and Republicans are rarer than you might think! Data from 2020 showed that less than 4% of marriages are between Democrats and Republicans (in 2016, this number was a lot higher, at 9%). This is a steep decline in just four years, likely indicating the fact that Americans are becoming more and more politically divided.

The same data showed that 21% of marriages are between members of different political parties, with the majority of these marriages being between partisans and independents.

This means that 79% of Americans are married to people with the same political party.

How Likely Are You to Breakup With Someone of a Different Political Party?

Politics can be a big cause for breakups. Research has found that 10% of Americans have ended a relationship because of political differences. The same study found that one-third of people also reported that they would consider ending their marriage due to political differences.

Can You Be Happy in a Relationship With Political Differences?

People in politically mixed relationships are reportedly less happy than those who are in same-party relationships. Only 47% of politically-mixed couples reported family life satisfaction, while 61% of Republican couples reported satisfaction and 55% of Democratic couples reported satisfaction. Those levels drop even further for Democrats who are married to Independents, who report the lowest levels of satisfaction, with only 35% reportedly being happy.

The Bottom Line

While this data is interesting, it’s important to remember that there are always outliers. Dating someone from an opposing political party doesn’t mean that your relationship is doomed right out the gate. Politically mixed relationships DO happen.

That being said, having political differences can be big differences. Some might find it easier to stick to dating people of their own political affiliation. Political affiliation is one dating app filter that might matter in the long run.

Feel free to share in the comments. Are you married to someone from a different political party? How’s it going?

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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