Raise Federal Taxes on the Super Wealthy and High Incomes, Say Bipartisan Majorities in the Battlegrounds

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Oct 01, 2026, 09:00 ET

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- While Congress has reduced taxes on high incomes and the very wealthy over the last half century, majorities of both Democrats and Republicans in the battlegrounds favor increasing taxes on those groups. This finding comes from new surveys of over 20,000 Americans about federal taxes conducted in 11 competitive states and 28 competitive House districts, and nationally.

Imposing an annual federal tax of 2% on wealth over $50 million and 3% over $1 billion is favored by large majorities of Democrats and Republicans in every battleground state and district surveyed, and nationally. This would raise an estimated $200 billion in revenue.

Raising the capital gains tax on households with income of at least $200,000, by taxing their gains the same as ordinary income, is favored by majorities of Democrats in all battlegrounds, and majorities of Republicans in 31 of the 39 battlegrounds. Nationally, a bipartisan majority is in favor. This would raise about $164 billion in revenue.

Applying the estate tax to more inherited wealth, by lowering the exemption from $15 million to $5 million, is favored by majorities of Democrats in all battlegrounds, and majorities of Republicans in 27 of the 39 battlegrounds. Nationally, a bipartisan majority is in favor. This would raise about $17 billion in revenue.

Increasing the income tax on income of $1 million or more is favored by majorities of Democrats in all battlegrounds, and majorities of Republicans in 21 of the 39 battlegrounds. Nationally, a bipartisan majority is in favor. This would raise about $73 billion in revenue.

Taxing hedge fund managers' income like ordinary income is favored by bipartisan majorities in all battlegrounds and nationally. This would raise about $1 billion in revenue.

Steven Kull, Director of the University of Maryland's Program for Public Consultation (PPC), notes, "Republicans and Democrats agree that federal taxes should be raised on the super wealthy and those with very high income – enough to generate at least $455 billion in new revenue. This is true nationally and in most battleground states and districts. He adds, "We know from other surveys that there is not bipartisan support for raising taxes on other income groups."

Common Ground in the Battlegrounds?
This survey release is the 11th in the Common Ground in the Battlegrounds? survey series being conducted by the Program for Public Consultation (PPC) in the run-up to the November election in 11 competitive states and 28 competitive U.S. House districts. The results for all individual states and districts can be found HERE.

Surveys on a total of fifteen topics are being released on a rolling basis until the midterm elections, covering over 100 specific policy questions. The policies – most of which are pending in Congress – were chosen because surveys by PPC and others consistently found majority Republican and Democratic agreement nationally.

With this release, the project has identified 54 policies with bipartisan majority support in every battleground state and district surveyed, and a dozen more with bipartisan support in most battlegrounds.

Previously released surveys: Artificial Intelligence, Housing, Healthcare, Low-Income Assistance, Families and Children, Social Security, Immigration, Abortion and Birth Control, The Role of "We the People", and Energy and Environment.

Survey Design
Respondents were presented options for changing federal tax rates on different income groups, along with proposals for new taxes. For each option, they were told how much federal revenue would be increased or decreased, based on estimates from nonpartisan sources, including the Joint Committee on Taxation and Congressional Budget Office.

Wealth Tax
Imposing a tax of 2% on wealth over $50 million and 3% on wealth over $1 billion is favored by a bipartisan majority in every battleground state and district surveyed. This includes 81 to 95% of Democrats, 58 to 84% of Republicans, and 70 to 87% overall. Nationally, eight in ten are in favor (Democrats 88%, Republicans 72%). This would increase revenue by an estimated $200 billion.

Capital Gains Taxes
Respondents were told that capital gains are earnings from the sale of stocks and property, and that they are taxed at a lower rate than ordinary income. They were presented proposals for taxing the capital gains of several high income groups the same as ordinary income.

For households with income of $200,000 to $500,000, taxing their capital gains like ordinary income is favored by majorities overall and of Democrats in every battleground (overall 52 to 83%, Democrats 55 to 94%). Among Republicans, majorities are in favor in 31 of the 39 battlegrounds (40 to 81%). Nationally, a bipartisan majority is in favor (Democrats 69%, Republicans 61%, overall, 64%). This would raise $26 billion in revenue.

For households with income of $500,000 to $1 million, taxing their capital gains like ordinary income is favored by more bipartisan majorities in the battlegrounds (Democrats 67 to 87%, Republicans 43 to 73%, overall, 57 to 72%), and nationally (Democrats 79%, Republicans 65%, overall, 72%). This would raise $18 billion in revenue.

For households with income of $1 million or more, taxing their capital gains like ordinary income is favored by bipartisan majorities in all battlegrounds (Democrats 74 to 92%, Republicans 54 to 73%, overall, 65 to 79%), and nationally (Democrats 83%, Republicans 70%, overall, 76%). This would raise $120 billion in revenue.

Income Taxes
Respondents were informed of the current effective income tax rate on multiple high-income groups, which they were told is the actual total percentage of income that is federally taxed, after deductions and credits. They were given options for raising or lowering the tax rate or keeping it the same.

For households with income of $200,000 to $500,000, raising the effective tax rate from the current average of 21 percent up to at least 24 percent is favored by a majority overall and of Democrats in most battlegrounds (overall 43 to 65%, Democrats 49 to 79%), and a majority of Republicans in nine battlegrounds (Republicans 32 to 63%). Nationally, slightly more than half are in favor (Democrats 59%, Republicans 49%, overall 52%). This would increase revenue by $145 billion.

For households with income of $500,000 to $1 million, raising the effective tax from the current 25 percent up to at least 28 percent is favored by a majority overall and of Democrats in nearly all battlegrounds (overall 46 to 67%, Democrats 47 to 82%), and a majority of Republicans in 11 battlegrounds (31 to 62%). Nationally, a bipartisan majority is in favor (Democrats 67%, Republicans 54%, overall 60%). This would increase revenue by $48 billion.

For households with income of $1 million or more, raising the effective tax from the current average of 27 percent up to at least 29 percent is favored by a majority overall and of Democrats in every battleground (overall 52 to 70%, Democrats 51 to 87%), and a majority of Republicans in 21 battlegrounds (40 to 60%). Nationally, a bipartisan majority is in favor (Democrats 69%, Republicans 55%, overall 60%). This would increase revenue by $73 billion.

Hedge Fund Managers' Tax
Ending the special tax for managers of private investment funds, by taxing their income like ordinary income and thus raising $1 billion in revenue, is favored by a bipartisan majority in every battleground. This includes 75 to 93% of Democrats, 57 to 81% of Republicans, and 69 to 84% overall.

Estate Tax
Respondents were given options for changing the estate tax, including by applying the tax to more inherited wealth or eliminating the tax entirely, or keeping it the same.

Applying the estate tax to more inherited wealth, by lowering the tax exemption from the current $15 million down to $5 million, is favored by majorities of Democrats in every battleground surveyed (64 to 87%), and majorities of Republicans in 27 of the 39 battlegrounds (38 to 84%). Overall majorities are in support in nearly all battlegrounds (50 to 82%). Nationally, a bipartisan majority is in support (Democrats 71%, Republicans 59%, overall 64%). This would increase revenue by $17 billion.

While in 12 battlegrounds less than half of Republicans favor expanding the estate tax, there is no Republican majority support in those battlegrounds for eliminating the tax entirely.

Corporate Tax
Raising the effective corporate tax rate from the current 12 percent up to at least 14 percent is favored by majorities of Democrats in every battleground (53 to 82%), but majorities of Republicans in just 15 of the 39 battlegrounds surveyed (38 to 66%). Overall, majorities raise it in nearly all battlegrounds (50 to 70%). Nationally, a bipartisan majority favor raising it by at least two points (Democrats 71%, Republicans 56%, overall 62%). This would increase revenue by $41 billion.

Tax on Buying Stocks
Imposing a tax of 0.01% on stock purchases is favored by majorities in nearly all battlegrounds (48 to 82%). This includes majorities of Democrats in every battleground (54 to 95%), but majorities of Republicans in just 17 of the 39 battlegrounds surveyed (36 to 82%). Nationally, a bipartisan majority is in favor (Democrats 62%, Republicans 53%, overall 56%). This would increase revenue by $30 billion.

MORE INFORMATION

Survey Methodology
The state and district surveys used for this analysis were fielded July 21 - August 17, 2026, to a total of 19,949 adults, including 600-2,016 in each of the 11 states, and 499-592 in each of the 28 congressional districts. The response rates were 7.1 to 8.9%. The confidence intervals range from +/- 2.9 to 8.1%, and the maximum weights range from 3.7 to 10.0.

The national survey was fielded February 11-26, 2026, with 2,509 adults. The response rate was 7.6%. The confidence interval is +/- 2.9%, and the maximum weight is 2.5.

Sample was obtained from multiple online opt-in panels, including Cint, Dynata and Prodege. Sample collection and quality control was managed by QuantifyAI under the direction of the Program for Public Consultation. The surveys were offered in both English and Spanish.

The samples were pre-stratified and weighted by age, race, ethnicity, gender, education, household income, marital status, and home ownership to match the general adult population. The national sample was further weighted by Census region. The distribution of partisan affiliation was within expectations, based on voter registration data for non-leaners and/or Cook's Partisan Voting Index for leaners, or weighted to reflect those benchmarks.

About the Common Ground in the Battlegrounds? Survey Series
The Common Ground in the Battlegrounds? project is conducting and releasing a survey series in 11 competitive states and 28 competitive U.S. House districts, being released on a rolling basis through the midterm elections. Surveys will cover 15 topics and include over 100 specific policy questions. The goal of this effort is to determine where there is bipartisan common ground in competitive states and districts across the nation. Additionally, the project seeks to educate the public, policymakers and candidates about the findings; and provide journalists with independent, nonpartisan research that brings the public into the conversation about public policy.

In addition to PPC, project partners include the Civic Innovation Center at the University of Maryland (CivIC), and Voice of the People (VOP), a national nonpartisan organization seeking to give the public a greater voice in government. None of these entities advocate for policy positions or endorse candidates.

States surveyed: Alaska; Georgia; Iowa; Maine; Michigan; Minnesota; Montana; Nebraska; New Hampshire; North Carolina; Ohio; and Texas.

Congressional Districts surveyed: Arizona's 1st and 6th; Colorado's 8th; Iowa's 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th; Maine's 2nd; Michigan's 4th, 7th, 8th and 10th; Montana's 1st; Nebraska's 2nd; Nevada's 3rd; New Jersey's 7th and 9th; New Mexico's 2nd; New York's 3rd, 4th, 17th and 19th; Oregon's 5th; Pennsylvania's 1st, 7th, 8th and 10th; and Washington's 3rd.

Program for Public Consultation
The Program for Public Consultation (PPC), affiliated with the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy, seeks to improve democratic governance by consulting the public and bringing the people's views into the public discourse. It conducts surveys with representative samples on policies proposed by elected officials and shares its findings with government officials, the media, other academics, and the general public.

Civic Innovation Center
The Civic Innovation Center (CivIC) at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy works to strengthen the foundations of civic health. It contributes to important debates about civic education, civic engagement, and needed democratic reforms in the state of Maryland and nationwide, in partnership with other BIG 10 universities. It works to build the connective tissue that brings together students, scholars and practitioners to help elevate the UMD community's contribution to our wider democracy.

Voice of the People
Voice of the People (VOP) is a nonpartisan organization working to re-anchor our democracy in its founding principles by giving 'We the People' a greater and more effective voice in government. It champions innovative methods and technology that enable the American people to play a role in the policymaking process and provide policymakers with a more accurate understanding of the views of their constituents.

Contact: Jonathan Casaverde, [email protected], (786) 469-9422

SOURCE Program for Public Consultation