A fifth of adults say violence needed to get nation on track

About 20% of U.S. adults said Americans may have to resort to violence to get the country back on track, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Wednesday.

While the vast majority of Americans surveyed disagree with that premise, some see violence as a path to secure political priorities in 2024, according to the poll.

Some 6% strongly agreed that Americans may have to resort to violence to get the country back on track. Another 13% agreed.

About 46% of adults strongly disagreed that violence was needed and another 33% disagreed.

More Americans said America has gotten so far off track that the nation needs a leader who is willing to break some rules to set things right.

About 41% of adults either agreed or strongly agreed with that statement. Some 59% disagreed or strongly disagreed.

The poll, which surveyed 1,305 adults, was conducted from March 25 through March 28 by the Marist Poll sponsored in partnership with NPR and PBS NewsHour.