Editor's note: tippinsights gratefully acknowledges its collaboration with the Center for Security Policy on the simultaneous and exclusive release of this important story.
Americans never bought House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "insurrection" narrative about the January 6 violence at the US Capitol. According to a new pair of polls, the majority believe the incident was not as serious as portrayed.
The Center for Security Policy commissioned the polls with TIPP in May and September to gauge how Americans see the events of January 6.
More Americans identify the J6 mayhem as a "riot" or as "protests" rather than an "armed insurrection" or "insurrection," according to the two surveys.
As the congressional J6 committee began hearings in late September and early October, the percentage of Americans who agreed with the insurrection narrative had declined since spring.
Was It An Insurrection?
In May, a survey of 1,308 adults showed that only 13% identified J6 events with the "insurrection" term and 14% with "armed insurrection." Those views decreased to 10 and 12 percent respectively by the early October survey.
Overall, the share of people describing J6 as "insurrection" and "armed insurrection" net to 24% in May and 20% in October.
In polling, "net" means the number of people who chose at least one of the responses.
By party, the net share who describe J6 as either "insurrection" or"armed insurrection" breaks down as follows:
