Deal breaker or 'don't bring it up': Can people with opposite political views be in a relationship?
People share mixed opinions about the importance of being politically aligned with a partner, with some saying it's a deal-breaker, while others say it's not important.
NASHVILLE – Americans share mixed opinions about the importance of being politically aligned with a romantic partner in today's hyperpartisan climate, with some saying it's a deal breaker, while others say there are more important matters.
"In this political environment, it is a factor," Justin told Fox News while on Music City's famous Broadway street. "The sides are so different nowadays, and there's no real wiggle room in there."
But Brad said the key to a happy relationship is to avoid the topic altogether.
"Don’t bring up politics, that's my rule," he said. "Just don't bring it up. It's nasty."
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Decisions about media consumption and disputes over news sources' validity ignited conflicts between partners with differing political perspectives, according to an October study that included 67 such couples. It noted that previous estimates found that up to 30% of romantic couples don't share the same political views as their significant other.
After conducting in-depth interviews, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor Emily Van Duyn discovered that to navigate a politically polarized society and to avoid conflict with one another, some couples agreed to split TV time equally between their preferred news outlets, while others agreed on one outlet to watch together. Couples also said they often consumed all their news independently, sometimes in secret, and avoided political discussions.
Van said he and his wife "don't agree on everything, but politically we do, so that's good." He added, however, that couples on different sides of the aisle can remain harmonious if they’re "understanding of each other's point of view."
But Sandra said "it would require a lot of compartmentalization, a lot of stuffing feelings down" to be with someone she disagreed with politically.
"It would put a strain on the relationship for me," she added.
Bill and Margaret said they navigate their differences of opinion by focusing on other things and not discussing politics. (Teny Sahakian/Fox News Digital)
Bill and Margret have been dating over two years and said the key to their success is "don't talk about it."
About a month into their relationship, Bill told Margaret he "wanted to check that she was conservative," she recalled. "I said, ‘Oh, no. Not a bit.’"
"That was one of many speed bumps," Bill told Fox News.
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"He's a good guy with a good heart and that's what I look at," Margaret said. "So, we don't have to talk politics. We've got other things we can focus on."
But Jennifer said she couldn’t be with anyone who wasn’t in line with her liberal views.
"I divorced a right-winger, so I'm all about getting away from people that you don't agree with," she said. "They're toxic. Leave 'em."
If you do find yourself in a relationship with someone who has opposing views, Barbara said to "listen and be open to what they're saying."
"You still don't have to believe it or accept it," she continued.
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However, Shane said honesty is not always the best policy.
"If you want to vote for this person, go ahead, I don't care, don’t tell me," he said. "Not everything has to be completely 100% communicating honestly."
"If you know you're going to get into an argument, then why the hell are you even bringing it up to me?" Shane continued. "It doesn't bear any relevance towards a relationship."
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