BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (WTVG) – Americans view everyday headaches – including actual headaches – more favorably than today’s politics, according to a new poll from Bowling Green State University.

    Just 12% of Americans have a favorable view of today’s politics, worse than how they view the DMV, jury duty and getting bitten by a mosquito, the poll revealed.

    The survey of 1,200 likely U.S. voters was conducted by the Democracy and Public Policy Network in the Department of Political Science at BGSU.

    “Americans are clearly dissatisfied with the state of politics,” said Robert Alexander, a political science professor at BGSU. “Perhaps worse, we see that many are conveying an even broader crisis of confidence in democracy itself.

    “It should be a warning sign for the health of our democracy that nearly two-thirds believe that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are in serious jeopardy. Perhaps it is no wonder that most Americans would rather deal with the DMV, a headache or an early morning alarm than today’s politics.”

    Not everything ranked lower than politics.

    Respondents still prefer today’s politics over billionaires, telemarketers, health insurance companies, artificial intelligence, Elon Musk and root canals.

    Politics loses to early alarms, the DMV, mosquito bites

    Respondents said they prefer the following over today’s politics:

    • Early morning alarms — 71%
    • The DMV — 68%
    • Jury duty — 67%
    • Labor unions — 63%
    • Taylor Swift — 60%
    • Headaches — 60%
    • Getting bitten by a mosquito — 59%
    • Slow WiFi — 59%
    • Stubbing their toe — 58%
    • The news media — 54%
    • Landlords — 52%

    The poll also covered the president’s approval rating, the midterm advantage Democrats have ahead of the election, and an early look at 2028 hopefuls.

    Read more about the poll’s findings here.

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