During Trump's presidency, a conjoint experiment revealed how political contestation over judicial nominees polarized public opinion.

Data & Methods: Conjoint survey experiment conducted in early 2017 during the Trump administration.️

Key Findings: Political rhetoric from President Trump and Senate Democrats substantially shaped partisans' views of Supreme Court nominees, creating significantly more favorable attitudes among Republicans and less among Democrats. Importantly, this contestation affected perceptions of nominees' impartiality.

Why It Matters: These findings challenge the notion that Americans resist political considerations in their judicial opinions, suggesting instead that partisan disputes directly influence public attitudes about the judiciary.❤️